Basketball Is Back

Three weeks ago I started playing basketball again.  My mind was there as well as my dribbling skills but my legs and stamina were not.  I found myself knowing what I wanted to do but I got tired fast.

So I made an effort to get back on the court more often and have played almost every day since then.  After a few days I found my shot again and soon the teenagers at the court were calling me Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns player).  My game was coming back and I was feeling good about myself.  I mean it's cool to play with young people but it wasn't much of a challenge.  I ended up taking it slow a lot and turning it on in spurts. 

Today, however, was the test I've been looking for.  Finally I played a 5 on 5 full court game with actual league players.  Of course nobody had a clue who I was or what I could do.  So I take it slow at first passing around and taking open jumpers when I can when suddenly on defense I knock the ball away and get a steal.  I go full court at full speed blowing by everyone to lay the ball up.  The next play I did the same and suddenly I felt like I was fully back.  We ended up winning the game as I scored or assisted on half of the points.

I mean I was dribbling between my legs, taking my defender off the dribble, hitting turnaround shots and passing to open teammates all game long.  The guys on the other team were scrambling to find someone that could actually guard me.  Once I was walking up the court with the ball and dribbling between my legs.  My defender (who was looking another way at first) turned and saw me walking the ball up towards him and he said "Oh shit here he comes".

Now I know many of you would read this and think so what, but to me basketball was everything growing up. I played hard every day to be the best I could and when I had my knee injury in high school that ended any hope of playing in college.  And of course when I got married I lost my edge for it.  But now I am back.  Taking 20 something year old ball players off the dribble today and hearing the ohhs and ahhs from them as I made turnaround jumpers with a hand in my face, or passed the ball off the dribble to teammates cutting to the basket just made me feel alive.