The sound of the whistle erupts the crowd in a singular chant of "Are you kidding me!" When the Lebanon basketball coach asked what the call was, the referee shrugged his shoulders and said, “I forgot, I got caught up in the moment.” This is how the day and the life of a parent watching their child play youth sports.
On Jan 29 and 30, families from all over the state of Oregon went to watch their children play in a huge basketball tournament in McMinnville, Ore. The tournament hosted by the McMinnville Basketball Association, gathered teams from almost the entire Willamette Valley all the way over to Bend, and Forest Grove. About 26 teams in total ended showing up. The age groups were from fourth grade to eighth grade, boys and girls.
It is great watching these little athletes put everything they have into winning. Diving on the hardwood floor after a ball, jumping as high as they can for a rebound after every shot, running as fast as they can up and down the floor, all while being yelled at by coaches, fans, parents, and the occasional heckler from the other team.
This is what youth sports are for. They teach our children how to handle adversity, how to lose while being a good sport, but even more importantly, how to be a humble winner. It also teaches them how to react when something unfair happens to them, which is bountiful with the level of referee's that shows up to a youth basketball tournament.
The coach for Lebanon seemed to be feeding off of the loudest crowd in the gym that day, the Lebanon parents who were not stop cheering for their team. "It energizes me and gets me excited," said the fifth grade boys coach Ryan Quigley. So far this season Quigley's boys are undefeated in league and went 3-1 during the tournament.
A Lebanon parent said that her heart rate was at 111 during an intense point of the game. “It is going to be the death of me,” she said. I know how she feels. I fully immerse myself in the game, losing my voice and having a great time.
It is great knowing that the feeder programs for places like LBCC, Chemekata, OSU, UO, and Linnfield are going full throttle. Some day these boys and girls will hopefully have their dreams come true and have the opportunity to play some level of college ball.
At a glance:
When: Jan 29, 30
Where: McMinnville, Ore
Who: 4th - 8th grade basketball teams
Cost: $4/person
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