Sunday, April 22, 2007

How to Play Dad's Basketball...

...with your son's High School Basketball Team.

Since you are one of only two Dads playing, your goal is to play better than the other Dad, not the other High School boys. If the other Dad is in your team, don't give him any good passes. If he is in the opposite team, guard him with all your life.

Give it everything you got until you make one basket. Then you can relax. The perceived difference between the Dad who scores no basket and the Dad who scores even one is huge. Well, to you, anyways. The kids probably wonder how you made that one basket.

The traditional pass-and-cut move, where you pass the ball to your teammate and cut under the basket very quickly as he passes back to you and you shoot, is for kids and sissies. Real Daddy basketballers prefer the more mature move of pass-and-stand. In this move, you pass the ball and keep standing. The passee has to dribble and find a way to score the basket.

At your age, you should know the meaning of triage. Apply triage mercilessly. That means, before making a dash to make a layup or another dash to stop that fast-break, consider how much stamina you have left, and your chances of being successful or looking like a fool. With enough triage, you can play a very relaxed game.

Along the same line, save your stamina for one or two really fast moves, when the teenager guarding you has written you off as a total lame duck because you are panting half the time. Then, when you actually get a pass, dribble around him. He will be so surprised that you will probably get a free shot at the basket. Take care to make this shot, since this is last and only chance.

Never keep track of the score. At your age, it is enough that you run with the teenagers and get to touch the ball a couple of times during the game. Remember, the joy of winning must be great, but the joy of participating is even greater.

Best of all, when your son makes an effortless basket over your head while you are trying to guard him, don't get mad at him. Be proud that he is your son.

4 comments:

Mir Islam said...

Good stuff Ihtisham Bhai ! Very funny but true. Glad to hear you are having a "ball" over there. :-)

ulysses said...

Thanks Mir. Miss you all very much!

Anonymous said...

No matter what I feel like to pat my back against all the odds still We have sprit of playing ball.
And I'll keep doing that as long as god let me do it.
Shahid

Dakuykoy said...

Good read.