Donny's Bball Team Advances in Playoffs.

I never had an aptitude as a journalist--my dad certainly has shoes too big to fill in that department! But I have to take a stab as a sports writer for this one post! Are sports writers supposed to jump up and down when their son's team wins a game? Maybe it is too hard to remain unbiased--it was better than watching the Bulls in the playoffs over a decade ago.

We had no hope of a close game. No hope of a win. No chance of over time. A fourth grade rec playoff game when your child's team is last place and playing the first place team is not my idea of a good time on the first 50+ degree Saturday of the year. We wanted to play respectably, get our mandatory trophy at the team party tomorrow and move on. As I walked into the school gym the score of the previous playoff game taunted us--30-4. Please let in not be that bad.

And then we watched. It was all coming together. Everything they worked on in the last few months was consistent and the effort from both teams remained high. There was never more than a four point spread. An energy started to fill the air as parents from both sides realized that the outc ome was still undecided. At one point I think our team started to give up and slow down. It was as if they thought they did their best and were just glad it was not an upset. Then the spirit of a challenge took hold. You could almost see the determination and fight wash over their faces and bodies. As if they realized the age old saying, "It ain't over till it's over."

As parents we felt every step, every foul, every rebound as if we were out there. They had played so hard today, please Lord let them win! They need the win for their self esteem more than the other team! Tied at the buzzer we went into overtime. A status that is only allowed in the playoffs so that the coaches had to look up some of the regulations for rules of play. Come on, this is fourth grade rec after all. I felt like I was in the middle of a feel good Ron Howard film. The classic under dogs triumph--they were already winners, right? Well no...now we had the taste of victory and we wanted it. Moms were rooting from the sidelines in between quick exchanges to make plans for play dates and, hopefully, victory party treats and coaches gifts. I don't know if willing your child to be all that they can be helps but we were sure trying.

By this time the crowd had swelled as anxious players and parents from the next time slot crammed into the gym to wait their turn. Believe me, in most rec games you can hear crickets. This game was different. This game had heart. This game had parents and siblings at the edge of their seats instead of checking their blackberrys. With the second free throw successful we were up by one. Play continued and then with 40 seconds left on the clock they sank a basket and held on till the end. That buzzer was one of the best sounds I have heard. Parents and siblings ran on the court to join the throng of sweaty kids and a few other parents! The sound of high fives and "Good Game" was quickly replaced by the sounds of the next set of kids and parents getting ready on the court. We left with our son who was beaming and asking if he could have a slushy at Target. We were proud of the hustle, the skills, and sportsmanship. But I fear my heart cannot take it again at the next round of play offs next weekend. This win felt like the championship to me!