Mum - I still love basketball

Forty years ago my dear Mum told me a time was coming when I wouldn't care so much about sport - that one day I'd grow up and be interested in other things.  Well - even my Mum wasn't right about everything.  I thought of her as I drove off to the kampung at 7-30 am this morning.  

The numbers coming are down a bit lately, but we still had 7 there today - and there are even signs of emerging skill development.  

This morning I saw Louie (on the left of the photo) dribbling the basketball down the right side of the court with her head up looking into the post - the ball tucked back by her right hip.  She almost looked like Derek Fisher looking for the pass into Pau Gasol to initiate the Triangle - for just a moment.  Now to get her to do that with her left hand on the left side!

My Pau Gasol equivalent (Vera - on the right) is still getting the hang of posting up properly, but she played much better defence this morning.  She had to play on Faisal (bigger and stronger) - and she is slo..oo..wly learning to 'love contact'.

Louie is also becoming my translator.  I noticed a few weeks ago that Louie, Widi and Ryan would try to listen and translate for the others.  I've tried to encourage them.  A little bit of practise with a native English speaker helps - but I suspect the recognition and interest means more.

At present I have two other teams to coach.  The firm I work for is holding a basketball tournament and I'm coaching both a men's and a women's team.  

My girls have played 3 games and we're unbeaten.  We do have the best player in the tournament and another girl who is pretty good.  But the reason we're winning though is less those two than it is the others - who are doing a great job with newly acquired skills.  

Of course I love my point guard (yellow and blue) - my best since Bud (see earlier post) - all the more because she is playing with an injury.  But any coach with a brain knows how good it is to have a 'big' who keeps her hands up - and I have two.  

Then I have another girl who I discovered can go out on the court and guard the other team's best player one on one.  She does it with smarts and concentration rather than great technique, but it was good enough to completely flummox the best player on the only team that had a good chance of beating us.  Yeah Yani !!

My men's team - well 'rabble' is possibly a generous description.