- Jul 20, 2014
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Besides the passion of all young males and mine my other was basketball. I played everyday. It started when my neighbor took a telephone pole he somehow planted in his backyard and then attached a backboard with a metal frame that extended it out a good ways from the pole. Within a year that area was all dirt from dribbling and playing there. This was about 6th grade. From that day on I played after school till I was called to eat supper. Soon after in 7th grade I met Richard LaLance my very first real live PE teacher. In addition to teaching us badminton, wrestling, flag football, horse shoes, soccer and ping pong he taught us (me) how to correctly shoot a basketball. From then on I was focused on two things. Putting the ball in the hoop and learning how to dribble with either hands. Another factor was that Pete Maravich had entered in to the pantheon of basketball greatness and creativity so I had a model to follow. So I was able to play a year of JV (8th grade) and 4 years of varsity basketball. Saying it was fun is like saying pecan pie tastes good. After HS I had to go to work and get through college but that afforded opportunity in the form of intramural sports. I played even more. Then I was married and teaching PE. So Sundays at Littlewood in Gville was my fix. Finally, I ended up at Hampton Elem. and had permanent goals so I was able to shoot around each day I worked. I would dribble and take shots while waiting on my first period class. Very few things take the place of that feeling when you shoot it correctly and it hits only net each time. Basketball is like art in that every time you play you can create something from nothing with where how to shoot, pass or dribble and when to do it. Constant movement and a myriad of possibilities........One thing I miss but so grateful to have all those opportunities to play......