My First Love: Lost and Found

A girl never truly gets over her first love. That first love will always retain a special place in the heart. Memories grow fonder and sweeter with the passage of time. When you stumble across old photos, saved mementos, or journal entries, that same rush of nervous and hopeful expectation with butterflies in the tummy returns. I was 12 when I found my first love: BASKETBALL. So indulge me as I walk down memory lane with my first love!

In 7th grade, you had the option to do Athletics which would be basketball and track or P.E. I opted for Athletics mostly for track as I was a fast kid. I fell fast and hard for basketball though. I didn't know a thing about it before 7th grade. I worked hard and would practice at home. I wanted so badly to be a starter on the Gold team as that was the better team. I did work my way to being a starter on the Blue team. I'll never forget the first and only "game" between the Gold and Blue team for all our adoring fans (families). The final score was 8-2 Gold and I was only one to score on the Blue team.

I was hooked. I was watching the NBA and college ball all the time. I went to basketball camp at UCA completely on my own that summer after 7th grade. I was in heaven playing basketball 24/7 for 6 days. I greatly improved and was part of the starting 5 in 8th grade. Well, I was for the Thursday games, I wouldn't go to Sunday practices so I didn't start for the Monday games. The stat I remember from that year was fouling out 5 out of the 10 games and crying every time. I went to 2 basketball camps the next summer.

Our 9th grade team was pretty good. We were county champs and I loved every minute of every game. I was getting better about not fouling out and if I did I would manage not to cry. I still feel bad for crying during a game when Coach Roberts yelled at me. He was an intense coach known for throwing a clipboard if provoked and I think he'd often forget he was dealing with hormone-ravaged teenagers.

I loved my varsity coach, Coach White. I was on the varsity team as a 10th grader. I fully expected to never play that season being a lowly sophomore. During the first game though, she looked down the bench and pointed at me. A junior sitting next to me jumped up to go in only to be told to sit and that I should go in. I was nervous, but it was that kind of nervous that enhances playing. I played in a lot of varsity games much to my pleasure. All but 1 of the juniors on the team quit that year due in part to Coach White playing the sophomores ahead of them.

So my junior year, there weren't any seniors on the team. Expectations were low for such young team. The first game that season was one of the most memorable for me. We were playing Cutter Morning Star. We were 2 points down, seconds left on the clock, and I launch a hail-mary 3 just before the buzzer and was fouled. Game is over and I have 3 shots to either lose, win, or tie the game. There are few experiences I've had that were more exhilarating and surreal than having a gym full of people chanting your name. Coach White started to give me some tips but stopped herself and only said, "I know you'll make them." I step to the line and the silence is as deafening as the shouting had been. I dribble, square up, shoot and it's perfect! Two more to go. I do it all over again with the same results and am tackled by my teammates to the floor. That's the moment every player dreams of and practices for and I was lucky enough to have it. I missed the 3rd free throw as my nerves were shot by then but we won in overtime.

We had a great team by my Senior year. Unfortunately, we didn't always play to our potential and I believe we finished 17-7. My favorite and best game that year was against Arkadelphia (that's a real town for your non-Arkansans). It was a home game and we'd lost the 1st game to them on their turf due to the help of some hometown reffing. Well, it just so happened that there was a ref who thought I was hot and was reffing that night. I admit, I flirted and batted my eyes before the game. I was committed to winning and flirting with men twice my age wasn't beneath me. So I shot 12 free throws that game, made 9 and scored 17 overall so perhaps the flirting worked. Four other girls on our team scored in double digits and we won 77-70 so it was definitely more than the reffing. That's a high score for a high school basketball game. It was one of those games where everything worked almost seamlessly for our team. Being part of team and playing like that is an incredible experience.

We went to State that year and the first game was at home. We had a chance to win at the end of the game and I turned the ball over by passing the ball to the guard before she'd crossed the half court. It broke my heart and I cried and cried over it. I went off to college and left basketball and a piece of my heart behind. I played some intramural at BYU. After that, I never really played too much.

Senior Year, 1996. Go Lady Rams!

Well a few weeks ago, they announced that our stake would be having women's basketball every Thursday night. I was all over it. I played 2 weeks ago and stunk it up. I admit I was a bit ashamed by throwing up some air balls. I'm still an intense player and it's difficult to curb the competitive side of me. It's just second nature to go after that ball at all costs without regard to anyone who may be in my path. It was still so much fun to be on the court again though falling seems to hurt a bit more now. I had to miss last week but made it back tonight.

My team just rocked it out! I think everyone scored on my team. I know it was just church ball and I'm nowhere near to being the player I used to be, but it's part of that first love thing. When you come back to it, it's just so familiar, comfortable, exciting, and invigorating to be with it again. I just love it! I love playing defense and making steals and blocks. I love fast breaks and the knot of fear that accompanies every attempt of wide-open lay-up. That's the worst shot to miss! I love posting up, blocking out, and knocking girls down with the sheer power of my hips. I love back door passes for a quick shot. I love diving on the floor after a loose ball. I love wrestling the ball out of another player's hands. I love everything about it! It's so fun to play again, rusty as I am. I'm so happy to rediscover my first love!

The final score tonight. Yay Park 1st and 2nd Ward!