MAYB? Maybe....

I just read an article this morning about youth sports in today's culture, the possible overcommitment of kids to athletic programs, and the fact that we may be robbing our children of their childhoods by filling their every moment with athletics.

We have always tried to watch that... we have not sought out traveling teams, we've been hesitant to commit every weekend to a sport, have not wanted to have to miss church for ball games, and on and on.  

Don't get me wrong.  We love sports.  We encourage our boys to play at least a season or two a year, and we have even been known to force the issue when needed.  There was a time when we knew our child would never choose to do anything on his own, but that he really needed to step out and try something or he would watch his entire life pass him by while he stood on the sidelines (not just athletically).

Those were hard moments, but not ones we regret.  He grew a ton mentally, physically, and emotionally through those experiences.

But, in the process, we may have created a basketball-loving monster.

Really, we have had it pretty easy.  Our son is now going into 6th grade, and up to this point, we have stuck mainly with rec ball. It's not like we've had coaches beating down our door, so the decision-making has been pretty easy.

This summer the first MAYB opportunity presented itself. He really wanted to try it.  We discussed the financial commitment, the time commitment...(did I mention the financial commitment?)...and decided it was a good time to give it a try. 

So far he has loved it. 

We've spent two weekends hanging out in the big cities of Kansas, cheering on the boys.

They've won some.

They've lost some.

See that coach's arms straight up in the air?  Even that guy knows that his boys are mauling my son. 

The team is a fun mix of kids.  They come together from three different school districts and two different towns, yet are all intertwined in some way.  Two of the players go to my son's school.  One is in his youth group. One is a life-long family friend.  One he went to preschool with.  Two he has played baseball with.

And these boys love their coaches.  They are a great mix of intensity, fun, competitiveness, and encouragement.  One is a player's dad.  Two are young men who are volunteering out of the kindness of their hearts.  All three are giving up significant personal time to make a difference in these boys' lives.

Two tournaments.

Two medals.

And a whole lot of craziness.

My cautious, timid, introverted 11 year old needs a little more of this in his life.

And me?

I now wash jerseys, Under Armour, and shooting shirts three times a week...typically at 11:00 at night.

And I am funding my chiropractor's family vacations for the next ten years from all this bleacher sitting.

I am officially a basketball mom.