Basketball already?

While summer is still in full swing, Keegan and Kelsey are enjoying an opportunity to improve their basketball skills.

They are practicing with a Christian middle school team once a week. I'm not sure if they will actually join/make the team in the fall, when the time commitment increases, but the summer practices have been great!

 While we loved the church league they played on previously, like all leagues of that type, it was too short to work much with individual kids on improving their basic skills. It was naturally more of a 1 practice/ 1 game sort of thing.

Since Kelsey and Keegan are fairly inexperienced when it comes to basketball, these summer practices have been a perfect fit for them. They are shooting much more accurately, Keegan's passing has really improved, and Kelsey is playing great defense, even though she is one of the shortest players :). Great opportunity!

Basketball Keegan Quote

As I have mentioned, Keegan loved basketball this year. As much as she enjoyed it, though, the physical games were hard for her (and me!) Instead of feeling like a hard-fought game, to her, roughness just felt like meanness. It was especially difficult when she would try to block a shot, get plowed over (sometimes knocked to the floor,) then get called for a foul. I tried to explain that those calls always favor the offense and that you rarely see a charging call unless it's blatant. She was having none of it. I mentioned the same point when we went to see the Lady Vols play.
Tonight [Monday,] we were watching the women's NCAA tournament. An offensive player going for the basket slammed into a defender who crashed to the floor, then was then called for a foul. I looked at Keegan to make sure she noticed. Before I said a word, she looked at me and said, "Sometimes the defense just needs a little pity!"
Smile. Said like a true defensive player!

A Different Kind of Basketball

Yep, he made this shot.

 Oh, yes, we did! For Christmas, Keegan and Kelsey received tickets to the Harlem Globetrotters. Last night we went to the show.



Yep, two basketballs :)

I loved their shoes :).

This guy, "Tiny," was very tall - 7'8" according to the program. At one point, he was holding the rim while his feet were on the floor. That's tall.

Dancing the YMCA

 The girls had a ball. They loved the show. They loved meeting players and getting autographs after the show ended.

Yes, Keegan is taller than Too Tall :).

 

Below - Meeting Special K, who emceed.

On the left, Keegan asked how he kept his mic from falling off while he was playing. He was showing her where it was attached (in two places,) but also told he that sometimes it falls off anyway :).

Home with autographed souvenirs.
Woo, hoo! A great night of fun!

 

 

Wrapping up b-ball

Kelsey and Keegan both really got into basketball this year!

 

 Kelsey, who joined in mid-season last year, and Keegan, who had never played before, both learned so much, had so much fun, and made genuine contributions to their teams.

 

They were happy hanging out at the gym as long as possible, playing their games, running the score boards, keeping stats, and shooting with their friends between games.



All of the players were introduced at an end of the season ceremony.

 Elena, Kelsey, Olivia, and Torie

 

An amusing story about Caitlyn...

Keegan and Kelsey loved keeping the stats and running the scoreboard. Caitlyn found it stressful and only went to help out because i asked her to if Kelsey or Keegan was alone at the table.

This happened enough, however, that I guess she got a reputation for liking to run the boards. So the program director started requesting she run the scoreboards whenever they needed someone.

Being the nice girl that she is, she wanted to help, even though she was privately horrified.

So, during the last few weeks of games and tournaments, when Caitlyn wasn't at ballet, you could find her serving as an official score/stat keeper. A definite stretch for her :). 
 

Both Kelsey and Keegan were strong defenders, breaking up passes, stealing the ball, and occosionally blocking shots.

Keegan getting her hand on a shot!

A great season for both of my sweet girls.

We're already looking forward to next year!

Kelsey Quote

Watching the men's basketball team going into their 4th overtime, "This. Is. Stressful."

Let's go, D!

In basketball, Kelsey is a very strong defensive player. She is not intimidated, even if the other player is larger than she is.

And she NEVER makes it easy for the other team to throw in the ball. :)

Goooooooooo, Kelsey!

More b-ball

Keegan's and Kelsey's basketball games were snowed out this weekend (to the girls' chagrin, and mine, too, although I was relieved not to drive in the snow!)

Keegan is still waiting, but Kelsey has already had her make-up game.

 

Keegan, the scorekeeper/statistician.

 If you live around G'ville, you should recognize the Carnival shirt. Keegan loves hers. She wears it at least once a week. :)

 They cracked me up, each so determined to get her arm in front of the next girl.

 

<-- Ready to receive

A little meeting with the coaches -->

 

It was a fun, close game.  The other team had a close friend, which is always fun. Also, these teams were pretty closely matched, keeping the game interesting throughout.



 As if the make-up game wasn't enough...  Kelsey, Keegan, and some other kids played a  pick up game afterwards

 

Orange #2 there is the good friend whom Kelsey's team played. I guess she didn't get enough during the game, either :).

 

Hoping Keegan will get to make up her game, too!

Bball

Yea! Don't know what was wrong or why it's fixed, but I can post pictures again. Yippee! Quick, quick - you better look fast ;).

Another FB sports quote that pleased our family...,"Erica ******, Kelsey Walker, and Olivia ***** led Steve ****'s team to a close victory." Kelsey's game was close this week, and a lot of fun. She played with one of her very best friends. They were both #4 and assigned to guard each other.

Awfully cute, aren't they?

 Kelsey usually plays very strong defensively, but doesn't tend to shoot, so mom and dad were awfully pleased to see her take a shot on Saturday, and two foul shouts, too :). neither went in, but it was so close!

Whew, that'll wear you out!

The scoreboard crew

Keegan and Kelsey have become quite the scoreboard and stat keepers. They want to stay for as many other games as possible to run the board and record the stats. They do a good job of it, too!

I don't have pictures from Keegan's last game, but last but not least... the Facebook summary for her league...,"Keegan Walker played an outstanding game rebounding and on the defensive end."  Woo, hoo!

We are enjoying the basketball season!

Bball

^Kelsey has been working on her jumping and shooting.^

 

Keegan's team yells either, "Defense!" or "Cookies!"  Hee, hee.

 Well now, aren't they cute?

 The big sisters at the score table during Kelsey's game.  Cute.