Cameron decided that he wanted to try basketball camp this summer. It is put on by the high school team. He had tried one in the fall and had a great time. Honestly, I was hesitant to sign him up. As I posted in a previous blog I think that basketball is a pretty challenging sport to be a part of. Only 12 players are on a high school varsity team. Parents and fans can be very intense, injuries can sideline even the best players, coaches will yell, you may be cut, you will spend a fair amount of the time on the bench, and you have to be prepared for a lot of hard work. As a Mom for me it all adds up to heartbreak.
However, i signed him up and drove him to camp today, wondering if I should say anything about the pressure this sport can put on a young boy. I am so glad I didn't. Today I could finally see basketball through Cal's eyes. He was part of the high school players in charge of helping at camp. He and one of his best friends, Jayce, were signing the young players in. When Cam walked up, Jayce said smiling, "Last name please." Cam instantly replied, "You should know!" Cal quickly came back with, "Does that start with a U or a Y?" They all chuckled, called each other chumps and Cam headed into the gym.
As I drove home, I thought of all of the great times Cal has had playing basketball, the not so great plays they kid each other about, the times they had to run because of something one of them did or did not do, the wins, the loses and most of all the friendships he has created. It reminds me a lot of the war stories that my Grandfather told me about World War II. The basketball court is not a battlefield, but it is something that builds character and helps young men learn how to deal with all aspects of life. I know when the boys meet up again at their twenty year reunion, they will have lots of stories to share and if Cal's involved there will be a pick up game going on somewhere.
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