So, church basketball is officially over. I am sad, Zachariah is thrilled. He's always a good sport, comes to my games, comes to the girls' games (I'm their coach), and he even serves as photographer for my girls' games, standing in the corners of the gym getting action shots - an assignment he absolutely adores! (not really, but he looks really cute when he puts his baseball cap on backwards to aim better.)
I love coaching the girls, this was my 3rd year doing it, it's so fun! They're a riot to watch! I love playing, too, we have a great women's team. I even actually sunk a 3-pointer a couple of games back! (We'll overlook the fact that I airballed 2 others the same game.) I've loved basketball since the first time I tried out for the team in 5th grade. Played all through my growing up years, MVP on my high school team, consistently ranked in the area for steals, didn't make it at BYU (the coach said if my 3-pointers had been more consistent...ah, well...), but I just love it. And I'm pretty good, I usually make around 20 points a game, get some good steals. This stunk, though...my mom was up visiting for a couple of weeks in Feb., helping with Erin's new baby, Brigit. The one game she came to of mine, I only made 4 points. I'm embarrassed writing that. I did fine otherwise, but 4 POINTS!!! Why, of all the games she witnessed, did it have to be that one? Doesn't it always work that way? Oh, well.
But enough about me. THIS is the story begging to be told. Not this past Saturday, but the one before, my girls had the referee who woke up on the wrong side of the bed, accidentally slipped into a pair of underwear 3 sizes too small, and no doubt had a throbbing toothache -- in each and every tooth. Despite having a young daughter on the opposing team (too young to officially play, mind you), he seemed to be clueless about the fun, giggly spirit of young women's bball.
Middle of the 4th quarter, all the girls are doing girly screams, getting frustrated, etc., so he gives one of my players, we'll call her Belle, a technical. In a for-fun YW game, where half the girls don't know how to play and wear t-shirts they decorated themselves. Unbelievable! As she's walking off the court, of course she mutters, "I can't believe it!" or something to that effect.
Ref: "That's another technical, outa the gym!!!" Shock overcomes me with this second technical, as well as young Belle.
Me: "It's a young women's game! She didn't do anything!"
Ref: "She's outa the gym, blah, blah, blah!"
Belle leaves the gym and gets a drink of water. She returns while other team is shooting the 10 billion free throws they are now awarded, and -- while remaining outside the gym -- watches from the doorway. The craziness of the situation has struck her, it's rather funny that she's been banned from the gym during a church basketball game. Normally that only happens to people cussing or fighting, not to girls like Belle.
Then, horror of horrors, she speaks.
Belle: "Win it for me, you guys!"
The light-heartedness of her voice slips past the ear of the ref, as he turns, red-faced towards the evil creature in the doorway. I see it all in slow motion now. From the opposite end of the gym, he comes towards us, face bright as an overripe strawberry, almost anyway.
Ref: (screaming at teenage girl, in front of the entire gym) "That's it! You're out of the building!! Get out of here!"
Me: "She didn't do anything! And you can't kick her out of the building, that's not in the rules!"
Belle: "I didn't do anything!"
Ref: "I said get out of the gym, and you're still here, so get out of the building!"
Zac: (posted at the corner being a photographer) "Leave her alone, she's not doing anything! She's not even in the gym!"
Me: "It's just a young women's game, she's not in the gym, she didn't do anything wrong! Belle, don't leave, get back here!"
Belle: (turning to flee said building, voice floating down the hallway, while starting to cry) "I hate this! I hate basketball! No, I'm not coming back!"
Me: "So it's worth it to make an 18 year-old girl cry during a church basketball game? She didn't do anything, you don't have the authority to kick her out!"
Ref: "She's being rude, I told her to get out of the gym."
Me: "She wasn't in the gym!"
Obviously I am getting nowhere with the ref, he's about the densest fellow around! The free throws continune, Belle's dad runs out to look for her, and I gather my girls around, convincing them that they shouldn't walk off the court in protest. I tell them how we can't control what happens, we can only control how we act in difficult circumstances, etc., etc. We finished the game in a very sportsman-like manner, but I was boiling inside. This should not happen in a church basketball game, especially for the girls! He shouldn't yell at her like she's a piece of trash, especially in front of all the other players, spectactors, etc.
Afterwards, I went to talk to him again. The conversation was pretty much the same as what transpired earlier. There was no getting through to him. My favorite part, though, was the end. I, in great frustration, said: "You're obviously much more mature (he was older, gray hair and beard) than the young women, you should start acting like it!" I turned to go, and he spluttered, "Well...maybe you should!" Great comeback.
My girls are resilient, they bounced back from this bad experience and had a fun last game this past Saturday. Even Belle.
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