Oh Look at Johnny, He's Soooo Wonderful, Don't You Think So??

We went to a Shootout at Alvernia College yesterday and I noted something particularly fascinating: Everyone thinks their kid is a star! Doesn't matter how much they suck or that they can't shoot; doesn't matter that they hog the ball and don't know how to pass.... Nope, they're all stars! I thought perhaps this was an elementary/middle school thing, but nope, it's a high school thing too! I sat in a gym for about eight hours and noted the most interesting things (ok, there was nothing else to do!) There were 200 kids there, so let's say, there were approximately 200 adults there. Guess what??? Maybe about 40 chairs!!! There were two games going on at all times on the court, so the bleachers were up. The spectators sat on the top level of the gym, looking down on the courts. Each kid played three games. All day long, there were parents coming and going, trying to catch their phenom playing. After about 45 mins., I managed to find an empty chair (very very rare). This woman next to me was getting up, leaving for lunch, and said to me, "Will you save my chair for me 'til I get back?" Sure Lady, I'll be happy to.... Less than two seconds later, a nice lady came and sat next to me. Certainly that woman who left knew the situation and realized I couldn't save her chair for her! OMG!

Then, the parents with their little tripods and videos all set up, taking up the precious space where we all squeezed into, filming their wonderful little phenoms! It was all too much, that's all. I couldn't wait to get home! Trust me, I'm no sports critic, but to the unskilled eye, there was maybe, just maybe, two or three kids that stuck out. Joe agreed, so I must have seen something. It's the boy hustling, trying to get in every play; the one who's running full speed, down court, even though he has no chance at the ball - he never once gave up. It's the girl who won't give up on D, she's so annoying, she hardly lets any play develop. It's the boy who won't give up under the basket until he gets the rebound no matter how much he's clobbered. It's the player who came up to us and apologized 'cause he had his things on a chair (around where I was standing), moved his things, and told me to sit down. They are the four athletes who I'd give scholarships to, if I could....

So, that was my ever so humble observations of the Shootout. I doubt very strongly I'll ever set foot at another...