Basketball season

If there were only two words I could use to describe this winter, they would be these:

Upward

Basketball

Bryon, who really never played much basketball growing up, is quite the basketball coach!  He has had lots of success with this league and has coached all of our kids each year.  In fact, so much so that he was asked to take on coaching 4 teams this year!  Since we oldest children have such difficulty saying no, Bryon has had a very busy two months! He coaches two 1st and 2nd grade teams, as well as MB's 3rd/4th grade team, and Thomas's 5th/6th grade team.  This means Monday and Tuesdays nights are booked with practices, and 3 or 4 games every Friday night/Saturday.  Matthew has really helped Bryon by coaching one of the little boy teams. Wasn't he just playing in the 1st/2nd grade division? ;)

Mary Beth, who would probably enjoy Upwards Arts and Crafts over basketball, has really improved this year!  In fact, she was the top scoring member of her team on Saturday!  We were very proud of her.

Thomas is also having a great year!  He is the low man/rebounder on his team, and is enjoying perhaps our most favorite Upwards team ever.  They had their first loss of the season on Saturday, but if they win next week, they win their division!

On top of Upwards games, Bryon gets invited to various tournaments during the winter.  He was invited to participate in a tourney this past weekend in a nearby small town.  He combined members of two Upwards teams (most from our youth group) to make one team to play.  Despite the fact that these boys had never had a single practice together, they ended up in the championship game and lost with a buzzer beater in double overtime!  What an exciting 6 basketball game Saturday!

Bryon really loves coaching and has found a dear friend who coaches with him.  His friend has three kids: boy, boy, girl right around our kids ages and our families have gotten very close over the past 6 years of Upwards.  Next week is our last game!

After that, *gasp*, we will have NO spring sports!  The first time I can say that since Matthew was 4 years old.  Believe me, after our three football teams this fall and 4 basketball teams this winter, we are going to enjoy the break!

 Our 5th /6th grade Upwards "select" team.  Love these boys!

 Thomas always seems to meet famous and semi famous athletes.  Dirk Nowitski, Joe Montana, and many Baylor players.  He's the Forrest Gump of ESPN! Ha!  At our tournament this past weekend, he met Quan Cosby, who was a wide receiver during UT's glory days, and is still in the NFL.  He spent about 10 minutes talking to us and invited Thomas to participate in his football camp this summer.  Quan even stayed around to watch our Upward boys play in the championship game.  You couldn't meet a nicer guy, and I absolutely adore any athlete who takes the time to be kind to my kids!