Holidays Hardwood Style

#4 posting 12.24.2007
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

Seashells and Balloons joins in the end –of- the- year parade of lists to give us…

The Top Ten Ways to Spend the Holidays Hardwood Style

10. Invite your out-of-town family or any orphaned co-workers to your house to celebrate your family’s holiday. Time it strategically the day before a high school tournament, and tuck a pass or two and coupons for free popcorn in each one of their stockings.

9. Make your basketball player attend a movie hand-picked out by her sibling, or have her sit down and play her sib’s favorite board or video game.
Nothing says thank you to the unsung siblings like someone walking a mile in their shoes.

8. Bake a batch of cookies for the team. Deliver them without your player or the team knowing who baked them.

7. Give your coach a big hug of thanks and a gift card to his family’s favorite restaurant. They will probably appreciate the together time.

6. Watch any one of the following basketball movies: Hoosiers, Love and Basketball, Hoop Dreams or Above The Rim. Enjoy the boxed set of The White Shadow, or go to YouTube for great Coach Al McGuire moments or a dribbling clinic by Marques Haines or Pistol Pete.

5. Bring some bottled water to the scorer’s table. Enough for the refs, enough for the people running the clock and keeping track of the book. See my post from Dec. 3rd if you need to ask why.

4. Wear a Santa hat or reindeer horns to the game. Bring an extra for the Mascot. He has one already? Give one to the little girl watching the dance team, the cymbals guy in the pep band, or Grandpa or Grandma in the stands.

3. Donate a basketball or two to a local Toys for Tots, children’s hospital or to one of the shelters.
If it’s at the hospital, make it a plush version. For grade schoolers, choose the durable poly composite junior size and for the teens, give them a quality leather basketball. Trust me, real players will enjoy the real thing.

2. Watch a DIII or community college game, or some high school team you have never seen. Pick out one of the great holiday tournaments going on in the area, and work your way through the brackets. See your loyal editor’s picks on holiday tourneys happening in the area.

And the number one way to spend the holidays hardwood style?

1. Take some extra time to be with your family and not say a word about the game. Any game. I mean it. Play a board game. Go for a hike. You will have all the time in the world to talk hoops come January.

Happy Holidays and may all your hardwood dreams be bright!

Thanks Seashells & Balloons. To all the readers enjoy the season. Merry Christmas.

Next up: tomorrow