A Precious Moment

[grunewar]

Today, 0830 I am doing the first of my two "All-Star Games. B7/8. Yep, this is the only 7 and 8 yr old game I do all year......and, it's a solo act.

Pretty good game really. Of course, at this age as long as you know a foul, travel, and a jump ball, you can pretty much call the game!

Anyhow, late in the third quarter I'm at the foul line extended, and the ball is shot from my side, misses everything is pin-balled around on the other side of the court and I am horribly screened. Ball goes out of bounds. I thought it was off blue and announce it as such. White ball.

As I am about to put the ball in play, a little boy 23W comes over to me and says in a very soft voice, "Mr. Official, the ball was off me, it should be blue ball." Me -

I announce to the gym, "Ladies and gentlemen, this young man said the ball was off him. Blue ball."

And don't ya know the parents and fans applauded the little boy's honesty. Really a great moment and great way to end the yr.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by grunewar

Today, 0830 I am doing the first of my two "All-Star Games. B7/8. Yep, this is the only 7 and 8 yr old game I do all year......and, it's a solo act.

Pretty good game really. Of course, at this age as long as you know a foul, travel, and a jump ball, you can pretty much call the game!

Anyhow, late in the third quarter I'm at the foul line extended, and the ball is shot from my side, misses everything is pin-balled around on the other side of the court and I am horribly screened. Ball goes out of bounds. I thought it was off blue and announce it as such. White ball.

As I am about to put the ball in play, a little boy 23W comes over to me and says in a very soft voice, "Mr. Official, the ball was off me, it should be blue ball." Me -

I announce to the gym, "Ladies and gentlemen, this young man said the ball was off him. Blue ball."

And don't ya know the parents and fans applauded the little boy's honesty. Really a great moment and great way to end the yr.

You should get that boy a brand new Fox40.

[Mark Padgett]

How do you know that kid didn't have the other team plus 6 points? He's got to do something to supplement his allowance.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

How do you know that kid didn't have the other team plus 6 points? He's got to do something to supplement his allowance.

Wouldn't have helped. they lost by nine! But, a moment I'll never forget!

As I was going down the sideline I said to the parents, "So what are the odds the older kids show that much honesty later in the day?" They laughed.....

Apparently, no so much......

[BillyMac]

I posted this a few weeks ago, but it's worth repeating. Girls varsity game. V1 fouled in the act of shooting a missed field goal attempt. V1 shoots first free throw. Before I bounce the ball to her for her second attempt, she points out a very small pool of blood in front of her, coming from a scratch on her arm. As she, and her coach, and her trainer, are deciding whether, or not, to take a timeout, or get a substitute to shot the second free throw, my partner, and I, are distracted by the act of getting the blood pool cleaned up. First nobody offered to do it. Then the opposing, head coach, puts on some gloves, and cleans up the blood with some paper towels. Then the custodian comes out, admonishes us for allowing the head coach to clean it up, stating that school rules only allow him to handle blood, I guess he's the "Blood Police", and sprays the area with some disinfectant, and dries the area. All of this takes about five, or six minutes. Coach decides to take a timeout to keep V1, remember her, in the game. We get everyone lined up properly for the free throw, and I, as the lead, state, "two shots", and bounce the ball to V1 . No one in the gym, coaches, or fans, complain, until V1 states, "I only get one shot. I already took the first one". I thank her for her honesty, get the ball back from her, state, "one shot", and play on.

Also a good reminder to us to be alive when the ball is dead.

[grunewar]

B18U League Championship Game, A winning by 13 with six seconds to go and with the ball. They In-bounded the ball to their “special needs player” at the top of the key who dribbles through B’s light defense and puts up a shot that goes in as time expires! The look on his face as his teammates congratulated him and the crowd applauded was excellent!

[BillyMac]

My daughter's friend's boyfriend coaches a CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) team that has a blind player, not just legally blind, but blind. The league allows this player to substitute in for any teammate to take the first of any two shot free throw. Now that's the good side of sports.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by grunewar

B18U League Championship Game, A winning by 13 with six seconds to go and with the ball. They In-bounded the ball to their “special needs player” at the top of the key who dribbles through B’s light defense and puts up a shot that goes in as time expires! The look on his face as his teammates congratulated him and the crowd applauded was excellent!

Originally Posted by BillyMac

My daughter's friend's boyfriend coaches a CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) team that has a blind player, not just legally blind, but blind. The league allows this player to substitute in for any teammate to take the first of any two shot free throw. Now that's the good side of sports.

Werd.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by grunewar

As I was going down the sideline I said to the parents, "So what are the odds the older kids show that much honesty later in the day?"

Should I bring up Lonnie Dixon?

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Should I bring up Lonnie Dixon?

Nah, this is an upbeat post. Let's not go there!

We need more good news stories!