Connections That Last For A Lifetime

Last night, my Monday night basketball league completed it's 2013 spring season with the championship game.  My team was fortunate enough to be playing in the game.  Even more fortunate, my team was able to WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP 66-61.

In looking back, my team had an improbable run.  My team had plenty of potential and chemistry but we only won one out of first five games.   I was forced to make some adjustments and fortunately things worked out.  My team gelled and won it's final give games of the season including the championship.

I'm extremely proud of my team.  We had seven players, five of whom had played in our league before.  We had two new players including one guy who had never played league basketball before.  The other new player was a girl.   She was real small of stature but she is baller and tough as nails.   We had to work hard at our chemistry but everyone played their roles and contributed to the championship win.

While my team's win didn't bring us any trophies or anything like that, I find that it brings lasting memories and connections for all of the players involved.  While I am not close friends with all of my teammates, going through our journey this season will forever bind us.   I don't know how much I will see this particular group of players in the future.  However, anytime I do see them, this championship will be something we can reminisce about for years to come.

Really, this holds true for all of the teams in our league.  All five of the teams finished with a 4-4 record.  Instead of randomly eliminating one of the teams from playoffs, all teams were invited.  It was a first in the league to have this happen.  This made for a exciting playoff and championship games.  So while my team earns the "champion" title, every team in the league had something to be proud of.

20th Anniversary High School Redux

A few days ago, it occurred to me that it had been 20 years since I graduated from high school.   In celebration of this event, let me share some of my favorite memories from high school:

1. During my freshmen year, my high school did not have an athletics program.  Due to demand, the school eventually started a program in my sophomore year.    I chose to run cross country in the fall and was among the first set of athletes to participate in official practices and events for the school. 
2. Along the lines of athletics, my cross country team's first event was a memorable one.   I had run my race as a sophomore and was watching the rest of our team run in the varsity race.  One of my fellow sophomore friend & classmate was running in the varsity race.  At the sound of the gun, my friend took off SPRINTING.  He had run track in middle school but not distance running and he treated this face like a track meet.  Thus he led the 3.1 mile race for about 30 seconds before he faded and the rest of the pack caught up and passed him.    Even though my friend finished pretty far back, it is still a funny memory to remember.  
3. October 17th, 1989.  That date will be memorable for those of us who lived in the Bay Area.  That was the date of the Loma Prieta Earthquake that struck at 5:04 PM.  The earthquake interrupted Game 3 of the Bay Bridge World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics.  It is also memorable to me and my cross country teammates as our team was participating in a race at Golden Gate Park that day.  I had completed my race and was waiting for the varsity runners to finish as well.  At 5:00 PM, I remember looking at my watch and hoping that my mom remembered to record the World Series game on TV.  A few minutes later, I remember feeling something shaking.  I thought someone was shaking the bench I was standing on until I realized the benches were bolted to the ground.  It was then that I (and the others around) that an earthquake had hit.  The rest of the time was a blur.  Many of my teammates lived close to me across town and it was a long few hours getting home.  We had some bonding time though and that was a positive in light of the effects of the earthquake. 
4. I chose to participate in the sport of fencing in the spring.  Unfortunately, while trying to run through the hallway to get some snacks, I tripped and fractured my wrist and my fencing season ended abruptly.  I still hung around at practice and did some drills though never participated in any matches. 
5. While my first fencing season was a lost one, my second season went a lot better.  To be honest, most of the season was a BLUR.  I remember winning at least one match though don't remember much else.  HOWEVER, whatever I did, I did enough to be named an alternative fencer for the All-City tournament.  When one of the three fencers in the tournament was hurt prior to the All-City, I got a chance to participate in my first and only All-City tournament.  I was eliminated pretty quickly but was named Most Improved Fencer during our Spring Sports Awards night. 
6. It may surprise people, but I was not much of a student during high school.  My freshmen year went decently as I remember getting something along the lines of a 2.80 GPA.  My sophomore and junior years were less successful as I barely stayed about 2.0 GPA to stay eligible to play sports.  Yet, my senior year was a revelation.  I stayed about a 3.2 GPA (hitting 3.4 a few times) during my while senior year.  I did well enough to garner Student of the Month as well.  
7. During my senior year, I had one of my best teachers ever.  That same teacher got me into reading a genre of books that I still read today.  The teacher taught english and she did something interesting.  She had the students fill out a form which inquired about things we liked to watch or read (I think).  After filling out the form, she recommended a book for us to read and write a report on.  The book that I was assigned?  The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton.  Even after 20 years, The Andromeda Strain is still easily the BEST book I have ever read.  That might explain why I still like to read sci-fi / thriller books to this day.  
8. My senior year was a successful one academically but also athletically.  I didn't do great on the field but off the field, I had a good year.  I was named the Coaches Award winner for both cross-country in the fall and fencing in the spring.  During the spring awards dinner, I was also named the Athlete of the Year for the 1991-1992 season.  
9. Not being a star athlete, I don't think I fully grasped what the award meant.  To me, the award meant you were "good" at your chosen sports.  But in reality, that was the "Most Valuable Player" award was for.  It took me a long time to realize that the Athlete of the Year was given as I was doing well academically, always gave a good effort athletically and overall was a good role model to other students. 
10. Lastly, I made quite a few friendships during my time in high school, many of whom I still maintain.  There was a long standing one that has faded due to time / distance but was still a valuable one during the time it lasted.  

A Championship To Remember and Cherish

Monday night, my team (Black - #1 seed) took on the Green team (#3 seed) in the championship game of our Summer Basketball League.  My team was undefeated though hadn't played well the past few weeks and barely beat Grey (#4 seed) 59-52 last week to make the championship game.  On the other hand, Green was a mix of young and old guys and they had upset the Gold team (#2 seed) to make the championship.

There was no consolation game prior so I did not expect too many fans and potentially a low key championship game.  However, the Green team's young guys brought a bevy of friends and family along.    In addition, several of Green's players who had missed a few weeks due to other things, decided to return.  Instead of focusing on just a couple of guys on the Green team, my team had to contend with two others (a older big guy and a younger guard).  I don't know how my teammates were feeling prior to the game.  I was pretty relaxed and actually liked having the crowd there.  That usually makes me focus and play better.

Safe to say the championship game was NOT low key and both teams played at a very high level.  Both teams had opportunities to win but at the end my team played off a thrilling 73-72 OVERTIME win over the Green team.   The win finished off an undefeated (10-0) season.  For me personally, I tallied a game high 24 points (12-17 FT's) to lead my team.   My teammate Paul added 19 while another teammate Duane scored 15.

I could write a dozen pages on all the happenings during the game but I won't do that.   I'll just say that our team had plenty of miscues late in the game, all of which could have lost the game for us.  Yet we hung together, stayed mentally tough and withstood Green's challenge to win.

I do give credit to Green though.  They were incredibly tough and both teams deserved to win.  It was a shame that someone had to lose.  There was some obvious disappointment from some of the young kids but they will have plenty of years ahead of them still.

For me, I absolutely loved our team.  It's a rare thing to get a team of guys that all get along but we did.   Even though we finished undefeated, we had our ups and downs but the chemistry helped us stick together.  

Including Monday's game, this was my 12th championship game that I have played in.  Monday's game ranks as the best and most memorable.   I will remember this game due to the drama, the overtime and all the miscues we had to overcome.  Plus, my 24 points was the most I've ever scored in a championship game.   All of my teammates agreed that Monday's game will be something they will remember for years to come.

Wrapping up, I am thankful for being given the Most Inspirational Player award for my team.  Winning the championship was a GREAT bonus.  Thanks to the league coordinators, my teammates and the other teams were a terrific summer.  I hope to see a lot of the folks again soon.

Reflections on Championship Games Past

It is Saturday evening and it's about 48 hours before my team (Purple) plays in the championship game of our Monday night open basketball league at 7:15 PM.  I figured this is a perfect time to reflect on a previous experience in a basketball championship game.   This would be my first ever basketball championship game during the summer of 1994.

By my count,  Monday night's championship game appearance will be my fourth (Fall 2007, Fall 2008, Spring 2010, Fall 2010) in the particular league I am playing in.  Unfortunately, my teams have not won any of their previous appearances though I am obviously hoping that will change in two days.  In another league I play in, I have played in six championship games (Summer 1994,  Spring 2001, Summer 2002, Summer 2005, Easter 2008 Tournament, Summer 2008) and have won four of them.

In looking back at my first championship game appearance back in 1994, I almost cringe at what I remembered from the experience.  First of all, just making the championship was a surprise.  My team that year was a major underdog in our playoff game but we somehow pulled off the upset to get to the championship game.

The time leading up to the championship game was nerve wracking.  I was 20 years old and hadn't played much organized basketball except for the two seasons (Summer of 1992 and 1993) and some basketball back in 8th grade.

When the day of the championship game arrived, I was a nervous wreck.   If you asked me why, I couldn't give you an exact answer.  However, I would say that perhaps it was similar to a job interview or a first date.  This was definitely something I wanted to go well.

In short, the game did not go well.  The opposing team in the championship game was quite good and gave us a hard time throughout.   My team hung in there but ultimately lost 46-44.  I had a horrid game as I didn't score a point and went 0-5 on the free throw line.  Unlike these days where I play year round, I had to carry the experience of a miserable championship game until the following summer.

Looking back at that 1994 experience today, I see that I put too much stake into the meaning of the championship game.  Winning a championship indeed is a point of pride but not the be all and end all of things.  Unlike professional athletes, the leagues I've played in don't give our trophies or rings.

So even though I have played on 10 championship teams and won four, the only thing I've "won" from the championships is ONE t-shirt.  The rest of the things I've gained is friendships, photos and great memories.   Not to discount the other seasons where I didn't get to the championship, I have great memories of those seasons as well.

As the clock ticks down toward my Monday night championship game, I'm going to do what I regularly do the next few days.  On the day of the game, our team is going to give it their best shot.   Yet at the same time, I am going to fully enjoy the experience.  As I get older, I realize that my days of playing competitive basketball is winding down and it's a great time to appreciate what you have been blessed with.