The atmosphere was just like in the 'olden' days. The bleachers in the new NEW gym were full on our side. We even had a few sitting on the other side behind the bench. It was Senior Night so the band members, cheerleaders and basketball players were recognized. Emotions were high. There was royal blue everywhere.
I had invited folks to come out on my Facebook and was pleased when my cousin/friend/classmate, I'll call Benny, walked in with his little boy in tow. I ran out to greet him and he came and sat with us. At times I was embarrassed because he probably thought I was nuts, but then I remembered, he did graduate with me, he knows exactly how I am :) His adorable little son was probably in shock at all the ruckus. I swear it was the longest game ever. I think it was finally over by 9:30.
At one point after, I think, the second father had been ejected, one of my kids bent down and asked if Grandma had been kicked out too...because she had just walked down the aisle and out of the gym. My cousin laughed and I said, "Well, my guess is that Grandma had to leave a) before she got kicked out or b) to take a very deep breath. If you have ever watched the Cardinals, the Colts or a ball game with my mother, you know what I'm talking about. (I don't know where I get it.) It seems as though the Quackdaddy banging his cane on the bleachers, all the yelling going on around her...and probably her need to cool off caused her to step out for a bit!
At times it was extremely difficult to maintain control and composure. I won't say that we lost the game because of the refs, but they sure did not help us at any moment...and at times they killed our momentum. There were three fans/fathers ejected from the game. One of our best players (we have about seven of them;) had four fouls with two minutes left in the FIRST QUARTER. I call him "Raging Bull," and although I didn't give him that nickname because of his gentleness, he absolutely did not have four good fouls in the first quarter...which meant he had to sit the bench until the third quarter basically. It was a detriment for sure.
I must brag on the Bluestreaks because even with all the commotion going on with the refs, their complete inattention to the game and total focus on the crowd, the boys held it together. They could have come out swinging. They could have been throwing tantrums out there every time they were called for a bogus foul, but they didn't. Our coach could have went ballistic and scored us a couple technicals...or worse, but he didn't. He maintained his composure and carried the team through to the end. Back in the day, that probably wouldn't have happened :) Although with Regionals this week, it was vital that the coach not be ejected!
High school basketball for the Bluestreaks used to be so alive and we were the dominating force. We were the team smashing everyone else, with winning seasons every single year, winning the regionals, the conference tournament, playing in the Sectionals. But unfortunately, that season had passed for us...for a while. We are on a comeback. People are getting excited. Fans are interested and coming back for more. Alumni are asking how to get it back to the way it used to be. Our new school has helped generate some of that pride. We have a group, Martinsville on the Move, that is working to better our community. Everyone is getting all fired up! Our kids are starting to gain confidence and realize what it feels like to win, instead of losing every single game...not just in basketball, but other sports as well.
I know it can be exhausting, but I've taken a break and now I'm ready to go. I have no earthly idea how I am going to handle myself when my kids are playing regularly. I may need medication. The really neat thing is that there is a group of former Bluestreaks who have kids about my little boy's age. As we go to the games and sit and cheer for the Blue, there is our future watching (although sometimes not paying attention) and feeling the buzz. I can just imagine those little boys in blue out on the floor in a few years and how cool it will be to hear their names called (and mispronounced;)...just as their dads had been back in the day.
I believe everything cycles around. I believe that the Bluestreaks are on that return cycle and I cannot wait. That game on Friday was our last regular season game, but we will play in the Regionals this week, and hopefully if we keep our heads on straight, we'll win a couple games.
As we got up from our bleachers on Friday night, I thanked my cousin for coming and told him it was good to see him. I also told him that he was not invited back because obviously he had jinxed us. He laughed and said it was great, he had never heard a little kid ask if their grandma had been kicked out before. And to that I say, Welcome back, Bluestreaks. We sure have missed you.
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