Jayk's First Basketball Game

I think the entire sports scene today for the youth of America is jacked up! The cut throat stress, expectations, and pressure placed on children is beyond acceptable. We have been witnessing a generation of parents who think their kid is "the best" and surely if they have "more practice", "more instruction", and "more opportunity" that they would be the next professional gem to be snatched up in 9th grade and sign a Division I scholarship to play at the collegiate level even before they have played one in minute of high school competition. The amount of cash spent for personal coaches, trainers, instructions, select teams, and the like is stupid. We are seeing those in the church spend 3x's the money on sports, travel, gear, and games and haven't even come close to spending that type of cash for their kids to experience an international mission trip or feed the homeless or actively engage in the 100's of opportunities around them for their children to be awakened to the greater issues of faith.

So today (January 7, 2012) our family stepped our feet into the arena of youth basketball with Jayk. He is on a fun team with 9 other boys. This definitely is not the cut throat league but an opportunity for the boys to learn the game and burn some energy. (Men need to do both--put their minds to action and their bodies to work). We had missed the first two practices while being in SE Asia but went to the 3rd just two days before his first game ever. Needless to say we had shot, rebounded, and talked about basketball a few times but this was now go time.

So on this morning I had the perfect morning planned out in my head but very little went as planned. I had a time in my mind we needed to leave but that didn't happen. When we were leaving Jayk busted his head on the door (nothing major). Judah was wanting to whine and the adult emotions in the home were running a bit higher than normal. I grew up in a family that if you weren't early to anything then you might has well not even go while Kay grew up in a family that was fashionably late. So I had this moment that I had to surrender my plans to God's greater plans.

I was so excited for my son to go play a short basketball game that I could hardly contain myself. For the first time as a father I felt like my dad had to feel so many hundred times over with my brothers and I (I have two older brothers) before all the games we played in. Some of my best memories was going to a basketball or baseball game with my dad. It was tremendous. He coached every game every sport until Jr. high for all three of us. What a sacrifice my dad made for us. Amazing. I got worked up a few short times and I wasn't even coaching today. Well I coached a bit from the sidelines.

Jayk loved it. Played hard and had tons of fun. Shot the ball a few times and loves playing defense. Many dads say they are proud of their children because of what they do or how they perform on a court or a field of competition but I am proud of my son because of who he is. He is my son. So father's and mother's as kids basketball is in full swing remember to tell your children you are proud of them and love them for who they are not for what they do. That what they do is exciting and fun to experience together but let not their value, worth or position be driven by a performance.

The goal of sports has to be reconfigured. Many parents have their kids in church just like they have them in sports and many times sports gets trumped by church. But I submit a new line of thinking to you. Don't raise your kid in church but raise your kid in Christ (which will include church). There is a difference. What you value most they will value. What you own they will own. If you value faith they will. If you value sports, stats, and games more than Christ your kids will.

Who is with me? Let's reconfigure how we own and model Christianity. Sure play sports but you own your kids time not the sport. Because when the sport ends will their faith last? The fatality of college students faith is extremely high because of the things their parents made priority over Christ. Let not this be.

Here are a few pics for your enjoyment.