Great Basketball Season

      I am so happy that my kids love playing basketball!  I don't have to sit outside in the cold, rainy weather, and the games are full of constant action.  I only wish the season was longer!  Both Cameron and Austin played this season and Andrew will get his chance next year. 

      Cameron was placed on a good team with a great coach, but we quickly learned that he had a lot of ball hogs on his team.  Now while Cameron is an aggressive player he is not at all a ball hog.  He really wants everyone to be able and score.  We actually had to discuss with him that it's okay to keep the ball and shoot yourself instead of always giving it away to someone else.  He is pretty generous that way.  He ended the season strong scoring 10 points for his team during their final game, and received an award for "Best Ball Handler".

      After nearly being forced into coaching this year, Spencer ended up last minute coaching Austin's team.  He enjoys coaching, but being in the middle of a job change and not sure what the future holds left a lot of questions about whether or not he could do it.  Luckily it all worked out and he was given a great team.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching him coach because he taught the boys set offensive plays which I noticed no other coaches in his age division did.  The boys not only looked organized out on the floor, but they kicked butt every game!  They ended their season undefeated, with a score of 43 - 8 their last game.  Austin contributed 12 points during that final game, his personal best, and received an award for "Most Improved Player".

        At the conclusion of the season the basketball league held a ceremony where they passed out some awards.  One of the awards was titled, "Toughest Coach" or in other words, the toughest team to beat and the nominations came from fellow coaches.  Spencer did not receive that award.  Later that night we received the email below that literally left me at a loss of words.  This email was sent by the father of our best player on the team.      

To whom it may concern,

    Apparently none of you that run the basketball league have even watched a game or bother to look at team scores. 

 

    Maybe certain coaches of the league don't want to speak about or nominate a coach that this year has took a 5th and 6th grade team the " killers " undefeated all season against their teams. 

 

    This coach is "Spencer Waite".  Not only did this coach teach the kids, but he was one of the few if any to have more than one practice a week for the kids so they could learn and play even if schools were closed for weather or holidays. He rented a gym and kept his team playing and practicing because basketball season is by far the worst supported sport in the league but he wanted to give his kids more of a chance to play the game they love. 

    With this all said he now has a great group of undefeated boys that should be recognized and if that doesn't qualify him as the toughest coach in the league I don't no what does.

 

      That was a pretty nice compliment Spencer received, I think!