This season was a "breakout one" for Rachel. Her dominance at the center position was evident from day one, as was her shooting and ball handling skills. She played in two leagues at the same time, often playing two games the same day. One day she played in three games.
The girl with bun, shown below, played guard. She played with a lot of confidence. I don't know her name but 8 was her number. This particular team was dominate in the Jazz league, as all the girls were taller and stronger than all their opponents.
I also enjoyed the team coach. He was always friendly, never yelling at the girls. He rotated them in and out of the game, giving each one of his players a fair opportunity to play.
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| Rachel with her parents. |
I was also impressed with how the coach taught his team some basic basketball strategies, like passing the ball five times, looking for the open player for the easy shot.
Such play will help the girls prepare for high school basketball.
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| Rachel holding her certificate. |
Like a lot of kids, Matt made his way onto the court during breaks. At the penultimate game, I challenged him to start from half court, dribble the ball twice between his legs at full speed, and make a layup. He could only make one pass between his legs.
He must have practiced during the week, because at the final game, he completed his challenge. He gave me a confident look and smiled for grandma.
