So how did we do? Well, Bethany's team finished 3rd at the end of the season out of 6th. Sadly, our tallest girl left for a trip just when playoffs started and we lost both playoff games and were out. SO we finished 5th out of 6th :(
Hannah and Todd's team finished 1st in their league and had all the talent in that league. BUT, we lost our first playoff game to the team that was in 3rd place. We had beaten that team by 18 points just a couple weeks earlier and their parents did not like us so they yelled nasty comments to our star players and intimidated her at the free throw line. And the parents and their coaches were telling their players to foul her on purpose because she wasn't making her free throws. So she just kind of fell apart and many of our best players followed. We couldn't see what was going on at the time because this particular gym has the home team and visitor side so far away from each other. We heard loud cheers and yelling but we were doing that too - yelling suggestions for our kids and cheering for them. It was hard to watch this poor girl just fall apart the way she did. So we lost by one point. We found out from other teams waiting to play after us that these parents were saying really bad things. And our girl just got intimidated and lost her focus. So sad.
Then we came back and won two of our other playoff games but they were not as impressive as we did all year. Then we played the #2 team hoping to beat them to meet up with that nasty team who was waiting to see the outcome (and did NOT want to play us as we beat them so badly in the regular season and they knew they won that first game by default as even though we played our worst, we only lost by one point).
But, it was not to be. We had another bad game and our star player couldn't shake it off until the 4th qtr. when she came back to score 4-5 baskets in a row and she was on a run but the clock expired! :( So we came in 3rd place and the nasty team won the champtionship. Boo! Oh well, the girls had a lot of fun and each year, they learn more and more. So does Coach Todd. It was also a learning experience that basketball is also a mental game and you have to be ready for those players who play with head games rather than skill. And get over that and play with integrity and don't let them get to you. I think all our girls were put off guard by this one team and weren't really challenged too much all year b/c they won most games by 15-20 points. So it was a great year. Now Coach Todd gets to coach the All STars since his team came in first at the end of the regular season. And of course, team parties and then a break! Whew!
No comments:
Post a Comment