Ryder Scores!

This past weekend, my husband, Bruce and I attended our grandson Ryder’s last basketball game of the season. It was held at his school, Sandymount Elementary School in Finksburg, Maryland.

Our daughter, Allison, suggested we bring our outdoor folding chairs or we would end up sitting on the steps. Being Ryder’s grandparents, the steps don’t work for us anymore. And, with both of my knees having been replaced, I really cannot sit on the steps!

We arrived at the same time as our daughter, who had Ryder and his big sister, Piper, with her.

Bruce carried the chairs by the handle, and we headed up a few steps to the top of the stage in the gymnasium. With the chairs set up, we were very comfortable watching the game. Some other grandparents in our age bracket said, “I wish we had thought to bring chairs.”

The players on both teams were approximately six years of age. We watched as the kids ran back and forth on the court myriad times. Ryder’s number is 68, so if we couldn’t see his face, we kept a close eye on him by his number.

There were a lot of tries, from both teams, to get the basketball into the hoop. Sometimes it went in and there was thunderous applause, regardless of which team made the basket.

Allison, who played Junior Varsity basketball in high school, shouted out the following phrases throughout the game:

“Get open!”

“Dribble the ball!”

“Run with your team!”

“Shoot into the hoop!”

At one point, Ryder’s team was winning, but we all know it’s not who wins the game that matters; it’s how the game is played with good sportsmanship.

I think my applause was the loudest when Ryder made two baskets at different times throughout the game!

During the fourth quarter, I noticed a tied score of 22-22. With only two minutes left in the game, the other team shot the ball into the hoop, making the final score of 24-22 with them winning the game.

What a fun day all of us had watching Ryder play basketball!

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Read more by Marlene Wolff Solomon.