It seems like forever. But I counted it up; it’s been like three months. Maybe four?

Xay has been spending his Tuesday evenings at the Baptist Church gym with his fellow homeschool basketball teammates. A brainchild of one of the mothers, open gym was started to counter the whole school monolith. You know that one, don’t you? The whole, ‘they practice everyday after school; that’s why they’re so good. . . .’ excuse I hear after every lost game.

This mother started having open gym at her house last spring. Xay only made one of those. Then, in the beginning of the summer, he got hooked up with Loy Norrix, my alma mater’s open gyms. I thought it was a good experience for him, but he didn’t like it. When we found out that the homeschool league was having weekly open gyms, we were there.

The JV and the Varsity players play together. They get a lot of full court game practice in, getting used to each other’s style. Xay complains that he doesn’t see too many JV players. I hope that doesn’t hurt the team in the long run. This open gym time was supposed to turn them into a well-oiled basketball machine. Maybe the JV guys that come out will lead their team.

Tonight was the last open gym. They start regular basketball practice in November. Part of me says, “awww, I was used to going there every Tuesday!” And part of me is glad to be done with that extra bit of running. And the another part of me is thinking about the EXTREME AMOUNT OF RUNNING in the actual basketball season to come!

And we’re not even talking about Yanni yet. . .