Week 5 - January 29-February 4

Lady Chippewa Basketball

Saturday, I had the chance to go with the family to watch a Women's Basketball game with Central Michigan University against Bowling Green at Rose Arena (now McGuirk Arena).  Drew got the chance to go with the rest of the 5th and 6th grade girls from the Belding Girls Basketball Team as a opportunity to see Belding's own Taylor Johnson who started the game and was second leading scorer.

Jenny with Rowdie

Not only was this a good game, (Central lost in overtime), but the arena and extra activities were all that you would expect from a Division I Basketball game.  The arena is nice, small but still has the arena feel.  The pep band was there, cheerleaders, the dance team, the works. 

While I was there, I gained an appreciation for these women playing.  This is Division I Women's Basketball, right there in Mt. Pleasant Michigan.  These women are in the top percentile of women basketball players accross the country.  One of them from Belding even.  It reminded me of a few things I thought I would share.

1. There are a number of colleges and universities close to where ever you live.  And, at each, college athletics.  Seeing competition in person is so much better than watching it on TV.  I thought about how, on that Saturday afternoon, there are probably thousands of people, huddled around their TV's watching NCAA Basketball.  I bet they watch games just because they are on, as a fan of basketball, but not committed to any one team playing at that time.  Well, if you are one of those people, I would encourage you, if YOUR team's not playing, to go to the nearest college and watch a game in person.  There is so much more going on than you can see on TV.  I love to see the interactions, expressions, and communication going on with the players, coaches, and benches.  There always seems to be some sort of drama. 

I think this goes for any sport.  Any sport you like.  Especially the non-revenue sports.  If you played baseball, go see a game, track, gymnastics, wrestling, there are lots of options.  The chance to see that competion in person is exciting, and moving.

2. The other thought I had was about competing at the college level in whatever sport you love.  Granted, I imagine it would be tough to get a spot on MSU's Mens Basketball team, but there are other oportunities.  I would recommend, every time, that if any person has a chance (or a desire) to play a sport at the collegate level, they should.  Even if that means going to a smaller school and walking on.  Even if that means, you practice for the sport for 4-5 years and don't get to start, or barely play.  I think the lessons you learn about yourself, life, and competition are something that you cannot learn is a classroom.  I think people would be surprised to learn, if you are dedicated and serious, how accepting most college teams would be to give you a chance. 

As I watched the women play and compete, I was reminded, that these women were at their highest level.  These ladies, would form bonds and frienships in competition that would last for the rest of their lives.  These athletes, in a few short years, would be teachers, accountants, engineers, moms, wives, what ever they wanted.  I thought about the hard work they put in to the game.  I thought about how this sport gave them the opportunity to focus on something, when I assume, most of their time is spent wondering and planning their future.  I imagined that these women have charted out a path to a major and ultimately a career and future and how stessful and unknowing that is, but at 4:08 pm on Saturday, all they could think about was how if that opponent stepped one more foot to the left, they would take the ball to the hoop and score.

I'm not really a basketball fan.  I do like to watch it and will yell when everyone else yells, but I enjoyed seeing a group of young people, a team, do what they love, at the highest level they can perform, for at least one more afternoon on a snowy Saturday in Michigan.