Basketball Camp

After attending a lot of men's varsity basketball games last year to watch my students play and after getting to know the head coach's family (they are one of the most amazing family ever), I could not wait for my son to participate in the school's basketball camp for 3rd through 5th graders this summer.  The coach's son, Jason, whom I wrote about extensively on my graduation post especially with regard to his valedictorian speech volunteered his time this week to help with camp whenever he did not have a conflict with his work.  It was great to see him again and have my son learn from him and his dad.  Some of the older kids at the camp were great role models and fabulous basketball players, and a few other former varsity basketball players dropped in as well to mentor and coach the boys.  I love the way our school fosters relationships across ages for mentoring and a family atmosphere.

Basketball Camp 2015:  Our boy is on front row far right in bright green socks.  Jason and his dad are on the back row right.

I wish my husband could have been there for the scrimmage on the last day so he could see how our son progressed from being gentle, passive, and kind ("here you go, friend, you can have the ball") on the court to being more aggressive and intense.  He worked hard all week.

Rebound and turn it around

Layup

A super special treat for the boys was getting to watch two of the school's recent graduates perform a dunking demonstration.   My boy was all about it! 

 Caleb is a state slam dunk champion, and Jason is a phenomenal 3-pointer and free throw shooter. My prayer for my boy all year has been that he will grow up to be just like these guys, not just on the basketball court but mostly in the heart.

 
This dunk, which had Caleb flying right over a camper's head, was one of my favorites.

 

His sister "cheered" from the sidelines just as you might expect a rising middle schooler to do...chatting with her head turned most of the time.  She is our social butterfly.