Non-Gaming Rant. You are warned.
So this basketball thing, specifically this rabbit hole known as AAU? If I had to do it over I would have said no, but how else could I be coerced into a short weekend at the Jersey Shore?
I let some secrets out of the bag that nobody really cares about. We dove headfirst into this thing when the Mom of one of Maja's friends called and coerced my wife into harassing me with a simple statement: It was really just her daughter on the team, they NEEDED Maja.
I went to the first practice I could and saw solid passing, decent rebounding, great defense, and well-performed lay-ups.
The rest of the season has been one bamboozlement after another, with our 3rd/4th grade team constantly playing up, local tournaments that had a 4th grade division cancelled, and the general stereotypical drama that AAU brings to families.
So, with a dispute over the number of tournaments our girls got versus older divisions, the club organizer included us with a big tournament in Wildwood.
Except., at the last minute, we had two families pull out, two go MIA the night before, and one family disappear of the face of earth.
We had the right age group to play in, but there were only five players for the entire tournament.
The girls lost the first game hard, but fair.
The second encountered one of the better programs of the Philadelphia suburbs. I knew it was going to be bad when they went on a 9-0 run in the first two minutes.
I didn't know Maja would break her wrist a couple of minutes later.
She ended up at the bottom of the pile. It looked bad when she finally pulled herself out of the game, three minutes later.
I looked at my wife in shock as she tried to see what Maja could do on the court, but thankfully, as we pulled up to the Rec Center for games 3 and 4, Maja admitted she couldn't go out there. Millie would hold her own.
And she did, including a defensive showing in a 17-15 win, against a poor team who had the misfortune of playing the three best teams in the tournament (and us).
I had driven the other parents crazy with my limited scouting of the fourth opponent, but their first games were all 40+ point blowout wins. Without knowing much more, I found something the girls to aim for.
Wining was not an option, but if we could keep the score low and relatively close, it would affect the tournament winner. Multiple teams would go undefeated that weekend, but the championship went to the team with the highest point differential. No matter how big the blowout, the max a team could earn was 15 points, 60 for the weekend.
The next best team was just a few point shy of perfection, so if we could keep a 10 to 13 point loss, it wouldn't be a runaway title.
Bad News: We discovered the team was from Yonkers and had just won the New York State Championship.
Good News: They suffered injuries during the tournament and only had one sub for this final game of the weekend.
Worse News: They too started on a 9-0 run.
The Best news of all: We lost 25-10, missing our goal, but it was their lowest score of the tournament and the most points they allowed that weekend. Little victories.
And with that Maja's (and I guess Millie's) experiment in AAU was over for the season. With the other local tournaments cancelled or too far away, it's time tor some healing and the local pick-up games with the community league.
And despite my wife's usually spot on medical diagnoses, the x-ray came up with no break. Most of the damage was a sprained thumb (and wrist) that simply wrecked everything.
Maja's always been the basketball girl. An injury like that isn't going to stop her from practicing outside for long. Millie's got more of a rugby style, but between the Summer pick-up league and a couple camps that are cheaper than daycare in June, I'm excited to coach her in the winter community league come November.
So this basketball thing, specifically this rabbit hole known as AAU? If I had to do it over I would have said no, but how else could I be coerced into a short weekend at the Jersey Shore?
I let some secrets out of the bag that nobody really cares about. We dove headfirst into this thing when the Mom of one of Maja's friends called and coerced my wife into harassing me with a simple statement: It was really just her daughter on the team, they NEEDED Maja.
I went to the first practice I could and saw solid passing, decent rebounding, great defense, and well-performed lay-ups.
The rest of the season has been one bamboozlement after another, with our 3rd/4th grade team constantly playing up, local tournaments that had a 4th grade division cancelled, and the general stereotypical drama that AAU brings to families.
So, with a dispute over the number of tournaments our girls got versus older divisions, the club organizer included us with a big tournament in Wildwood.
Except., at the last minute, we had two families pull out, two go MIA the night before, and one family disappear of the face of earth.
We had the right age group to play in, but there were only five players for the entire tournament.
The girls lost the first game hard, but fair.
The second encountered one of the better programs of the Philadelphia suburbs. I knew it was going to be bad when they went on a 9-0 run in the first two minutes.
I didn't know Maja would break her wrist a couple of minutes later.
She ended up at the bottom of the pile. It looked bad when she finally pulled herself out of the game, three minutes later.
 |
| Maja (right, in white) before the dreaded incident. |
Fun fact: the tournament organizers didn't have a used bandaid, piece of ice, or any medical protocols in place, and the local pharmacies haven't restocked their first aid supplies since the Carter administration.
Good news: Between some athletic wraps, ice packs, and Motrin, the pain became bearable.
Better news: When we got home, it was confirmed that it was NOT broken. More on that later.
Best news: Maja's younger sister Millie, filled in as an emergency player to avoid the forfeit, and despite the 36-4 loss, registered two points for the team! Not too shabby.
With Maja stabilized and occasionally smiling, I was tempted to pack it in. Millie could hold her own for one game, but two more games the next day? I didn't want to tempt fate.
With the club organizers in search of a (legal) replacement for Maja that wasn't her sister, we grabbed breakfast the following morning packed the car, and head for the boardwalk
 |
| Millie (L) The Admiral, and an injured Maja |
And she did, including a defensive showing in a 17-15 win, against a poor team who had the misfortune of playing the three best teams in the tournament (and us).
I had driven the other parents crazy with my limited scouting of the fourth opponent, but their first games were all 40+ point blowout wins. Without knowing much more, I found something the girls to aim for.
Wining was not an option, but if we could keep the score low and relatively close, it would affect the tournament winner. Multiple teams would go undefeated that weekend, but the championship went to the team with the highest point differential. No matter how big the blowout, the max a team could earn was 15 points, 60 for the weekend.
The next best team was just a few point shy of perfection, so if we could keep a 10 to 13 point loss, it wouldn't be a runaway title.
Bad News: We discovered the team was from Yonkers and had just won the New York State Championship.
Good News: They suffered injuries during the tournament and only had one sub for this final game of the weekend.
Worse News: They too started on a 9-0 run.
The Best news of all: We lost 25-10, missing our goal, but it was their lowest score of the tournament and the most points they allowed that weekend. Little victories.
And with that Maja's (and I guess Millie's) experiment in AAU was over for the season. With the other local tournaments cancelled or too far away, it's time tor some healing and the local pick-up games with the community league.
And despite my wife's usually spot on medical diagnoses, the x-ray came up with no break. Most of the damage was a sprained thumb (and wrist) that simply wrecked everything.
 |
| The cool stabilizing brace lasted a whole two days. She's fine. |
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