Instead of playing baseball, my grandson decided to join AAU basketball this Summer. As much as I'd love to see him at second base or leading off this time of year, that's his call and I support it. He's so crazy about basketball that he actually takes shots in his sleep.His AAU team, Lehigh Valley Heat, travels most weekends. He's playing some great teams in D.C., Philly, Baltimore and even Ohio. I'm unable to tag along to those games, as I can't really afford the hotel rooms.
Thankfully, he's playing in another league, too, and it's right in my price range.
$0.
On Monday and Wednesday nights, hundreds of Lehigh Valley kids descend upon Allentown's beautiful Cedar Beach and Alton Parks for summer hoops.Dat's team ? "A-town Assault." Last night, they devoured a squad from Macungie, appropriately called the "Big Macs."
Is he learning anything? Beats me. But he's having fun. The kids have cool names and numbers on their Jerseys. Dat is "Who Dat?" Another young man is called "Cyphers." Isaiah Graves has a #3 backwards. And so on.
It's very cool. But when I'm running, and hear the sound of a bat hitting a ball, I still have to stop and watch, if only for a moment.
It looks as if WHO DAT is learning all about focusing on one particular sport.
ReplyDeleteDat is probably also learning that it gets harder and harder all the time to be the genuine throwback, the real Jim Thorpe-type, the quintessential all-around athlete playing and excelling at multiple different athletic pursuits.
Especially if a kid is any good at any (or all) of the sports. The coaches certainly do not make it easy to be Jim Thorpe, partly because all coaches want Jim Thorpe, who only has so much time in any given day, on their team. But, make no mistake, it is also because the coaches do know that in order to, perhaps, excel in Division I later on down the line - alot of good experience, the kind only the AAU program can sometimes provide, will be needed.
Keep up or get left behind IS an applicable phrase even if that make some people feel uncomfortable.
So long as it is the kid, himself, who chooses what direction he goes in - that's the way I see it. If a kid wants to specialize, great. If not, great ... so long as it is not the State or some other Higher Authority 'assigning' talented kids to pursue one particular sport over another --- as was in the case of the old German Democratic Republic!
;-)
Great post Bernie, remember my summer league days very well! Good luck to Dat and his team.
ReplyDeleteThe Banker.
He is a terrific lad.
ReplyDeleteYour love and support of this kid is one of your truly most endearing qualities.
ReplyDeleteHe is a wonderful young man. I learn more from him than he has from me.
ReplyDelete"So long as it is the kid, himself, who chooses what direction he goes in - that's the way I see it"
ReplyDeleteAgreed and well said, IPP. Dat wanted to play AAU this Summer instead of baseball. That's his call.
But he still wants to play football this Fall, and will play fro the Steelers again.
A 97-pound boy in the 125-pound weight class.
Fortunately, he's fast.