Tuesday, February 25, 2014

...new hairstyle.

I don't know if you guys have noticed...Ace is sporting a new hairstyle in games now.  She has always had bangs...forever.












She told me that it was her "thing".

Well, things have changed.  She is now pulling those bangs back.  I had soooooo many people tell me that they didn't recognize her with her hair pulled back.

I think she looks beautiful either way.

Monday, February 24, 2014

...I am worn out!

So, this weekend was truly a marathon of basketball.  I seriously need a weekend to recover from this weekend.

Friday night, Ace had a her third game of the Fraser Valley's vs Mouat.  Saturday, she played in the Fraser Valley Championship game vs Holy Cross.

Here was my itinerary for that Saturday...

730am  wake up
900am  out the door to go watch a the jr girls Fraser Valley's at Riverside.  Catch 1.5 games.  Talk with players, parents, and coaches and enjoy some fantastic young players.
1230pm  leave Riverside to drop Frank off at SFU for shoot-around.
130pm  get home and pick up Ace and Mack to get drop Ace off at her game.
315pm  Ace's game starts...videotape and text Frank updates.
Half-time  race over to Cloverdale Rec centre with Mack for her game...drop her off and race back to LEC to catch the final quarter of Ace's game.
550pm race back to catch the final few minutes of Mack's game.  Switch kids with Linda, she takes Mack, I grab Ace.
630pm  race over with Ace to see Ace's boyfriend play in his game at Fleetwood.
900pm hurry up to SFU to grab Frank after their game.

So, between all of us, that is 6.5 games in one day at 5 different venues.  IN ONE DAY!!!!

Anyways,

Ace's team surprisingly lost their game...Ace played a good game and unfortunately could not pull it off for her team.  She did get a first team all-star.


Along with two of her teammates.  They will certainly be looking forward to a rematch at provincials.  It was a huge upset that I think made Ace refocus.  We will not mention the two missed FT at the end of the game or the ill-advised 3pt attempt with 22 secs to go, or the missed block-out on a FT from the other team.  Nope...we will not talk about that here.

We talked about it at home that night...until 2am.

Then we woke up at 8am on Sunday and made our way down to the University of Washington for an unofficial visit with Coach Neighbors and his staff.

We were treated royally...given seats right behind the bench and Ace was invited to sit in on pre-game, half-time, and post-game team talks!  Frank and I loved hearing the coach interact with his team during the game, especially time-outs.


 Unfortunately, UW came up against a very strong OSU team that was having a phenomenal shooting night.  At half-time, I grabbed this photo of Coach Neighbors talking it out with one of my all time favorite players...freshman, Kelsey Plum.  I like this relationship.



Ace brought along Michael...it was his first Div I experience.  I think he was impressed.


After the game, the UW coaching staff gave us the grand tour.  And they did a fantastic job.  We got to meet the strength and training coaches and viewed the amazing dorms.  Which are a world of difference from the dorms I lived in at Glenville.  The assistant coaches were only half joking when they called the dorms, "Trump Tower".  The coaching staff was great.  You can tell they are very proud of their program and are very enthusiastic about the team.  After a chauffeured tour of the campus we came back to see the practice facilities and then went up to the coaching offices to have a one-on-one with Coach Neighbors.  He was very down-to-earth and friendly.  He shared some coaching stories and his background and then he got down to the recruiting business.  He said some very complimentary things about Ace and told her that he has a scholarship for her when she graduates.  Things got real right then.  I was shocked and Ace was more so.  Frank took it in stride...he does this...the recruiting bit, and the promising of scholarships...but I've never been a part of a money offer.  And to get it so soon was amazing.  On the ride home, when asked, Ace said she thought she had another year before anything like this would happen.

I must say, that Ace is not ready for this caliber of basketball...yet.  The game was so fast, and physical, and intense.  I hope this visit inspires her, and gets her refocused.  It is amazing that a PAC-12 team would take a gamble on her after just watching one game.  To receive that kind of commitment, from a school of UW's stature should motivate a young player.  I know, after a visit like that, I would be so inspired and motivated.  I would work tirelessly to achieve what is being offered to Ace.

I think she will be receiving a lot of interest going forward.  This coming summer and next year should be a whirlwind of opportunities and experiences.

Even team Canada is starting to court her.  They are flying her out to their Edmonton camp this March.  We didn't think that would happen.  She is then flying straight from Edmonton to LA to go into a showcase camp.  After that...AAU starts up and we will be flying across the country playing ball at various locations and venues.  We will be in some of the top tournaments and be playing or watching some of the top talent in the US.  I literally can't wait!!!!


Thursday, February 20, 2014

...endings.


Frank is winding up the last couple practices and games with SFU.  I love watching him coach.  He is so passionate and knowledgeable.  He really should be a head coach somewhere.  The program would be successful in 3 years.  I have no doubt about it.
 


Frank will be heading our Spring/Summer travelling AAU team soon.  It is looking to be a fantastic schedule, with exciting destinations and great basketball match-ups.  This team should have the same sort of success as all our teams in the past.  Can't wait for that first practice!


Wednesday, February 19, 2014

...fish eyeballs....ewwwww!


This is something I've always loved about Ace.  She's game to eat anything.  Anything.

...about old friends


Ace with a couple of Next Level girls from back in the day.  Most of the girls that Frank and I coached now play for the Sr. Girls team at Charles Best.  Yesterday night, Charles Best and Brookswood sqaured off in the Fraser Valleys.  Brookswood handled CB pretty easily, but it was nice to catch up with the girls and their parents.  These girls were with us for at least 2 years, some more than that.  We spent many nights in the gyms with them and despite us yelling at them and torturing them on the tracks in the snow and rain, these girls kept coming back.

Love them.  And their dedication and their hard work has earned them spots on their senior team, even though the majority of them are underaged.  Congratulations to the Next Level girls.  Hope to see them at provincials!

Friday, February 14, 2014

...Happy Valentine's Day 2014!

So, Mackendra wanted to make some treats for her class for Valentine's Day.  So we got to work.  We made Red Velvet cupcakes with homemade buttercream icing.  Yum!  We also managed to break out hand mixer in the process.  Boo!




Mackendra had a lot of fun decorating and playing with the icing.


                           

Ace also decided that she would get in on the baking.  However, she made her cookies for the boyfriend.  She had to do it by hand...because of the broken hand mixer.  She wasn't too happy about it at first...but soon it turned into a dance party in the kitchen.










   

These are the results.  



Happy 2014 Valentine's Day, everyone!

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

...best picture ever!


Spring and Summer traveling team starts soon!!!!

...its what we do.

We are a basketball family.  Always have been, always will be.

Its in our blood.  

My Dad still plays in the Master's Leagues and goes to World Championships and all that.

Me and my siblings all played collegiate ball.  Me in Div II, Ting, Rachel and Erika in Div I, and Darren in CIS.  

My husband in Div II.

Its only natural, and proper that these two should be players.


You will find us in a gym somewhere, or watching tape, or planning our next practice.  Our lives revolve around when our next basketball related moment will be.


It is our passion.


Its just what we do.


Monday, February 10, 2014

...So proud of this girl!


Anatomy of a foul shot.




Whew!  Nice follow through!

The best thing for me is that she loves playing.  The joy on her face when she is running back and forth is the best present.  Her excitement before each game is so cute.  She leaves each practice and game with a skip in her step and a red face.  


She is the only girl in the gym and she has earned the boys' respect.  There is no, "don't pass to the girl" crap.  In fact, they look for her because she is a great player.  She regularly makes half their baskets and she always checks the other teams' best player.  



She's a competitor. 

So proud of her.

....Kung Hei Fat Choy! Or in our case...an excuse to stuff our faces


Good food, great company.

Oooooooh!  And the first appearance of Ace's boyfriend...Michael Pratt.  He's the one peeking out from Ace's head.  Nice kid.

...found some more photos of Ace.

These are from last year.




Love her face...hahaha.