A medal well deserved

Piper completed a four week, Saturday basketball skills camp today.  She had a great run!  Last year she played on a team and each week they had games, but this year we decided to go for some skill building instead of competition.  She really enjoyed it.  She was very energetic and 'bouncy' throughout practice and didn't get discouraged while learning new techniques. 

Today was her final Saturday, and she went out in style.  She's good at dribbling, playing some D, and passing, but sinking baskets have thus far been an insurmountable challenge.  She just struggles to get the ball up high enough.  In this skill building program there are six stations, and you stay at each station for about 8 minutes or so.  From station #1, Piper was trying for that elusive basket.  She knew it was her last chance to nail it.  By the time we got to station #6, she was so close!  But, not quite there.  I was practicing, in my head, the pep talk I would give her about the fact that what matters is how hard she tried, and the awesome perseverance and energy she's shown out on the court (all very true things).  But, in the last few seconds of the timer at the very last station, Piper Mac got her basket!  It was so exciting! 

If she hadn't, I still would have been just as proud of her as I am.  She truly showed up the 'right' way - with spirit, open-mindedness, and lots of hustle.  But there's nothing quite like that ball swishing through the hoop as a buzzer is sounding in the distance... it's movie magic, which rarely happens in real life.  But when it does, it's pretty freakin' fabulous.