LSU, NSU focused on postseason
March 12, 2013
Nowlin heads to Nicholls State
March 12, 2013
This past week, a slew of my friends packed up their vehicles and headed west for a few days.
The occasion is one that holds a soft spot in my heart: Biddy Basketball.
Dozens of Tri-parish natives headed to Dallas this week for the multi-day Biddy World Tournament that showcases girls’ basketball in three age groups ranging from 7-12.
Locally, the area was blessed with the opportunity to host the Biddy World Tournament for the 8-year-old boys.
As I paraded my social media outlets throughout the week, I saw photos of kids holding trophies and showcasing their talents against other children from across the country.
Away from the gymnasium, I saw photos of children having a blast in hotel rooms and Dallas restaurants. I saw images of parents and coaches doing the same.
They were truly making memories that will last a lifetime.
Goodness, I miss those days within my own life.
Biddy Basketball was a huge part of my childhood development. Now looking back and seeing other kids go through the same experiences that I did, I can see that the entire process was a decade-long ride that I will never forget.
I joined the organization at 4 and I played for a team called the Bulls – I remember it like it was yesterday.
The year was 1991. Michael Jordan was at the peak of his popularity. That our team was called the Bulls was just the coolest thing ever to both a young me and my teammates.
I wasn’t yet in school at the time I started playing, so outside of family, I didn’t really have many friends.
But being in an organized sport changed that.
With the Bulls, I made friendships that have stayed with me throughout my entire adult life.
I also learned the basics of the game from the late Kim Dufrene – probably the best youth coach I’ve ever had in my life.
Sure, we didn’t get into much detail (no coach of 4-year-old children can). But we did just enough to teach me that I did love the sport – a love that still exists in my life today.
As I graduated from the youth ranks and progressed into more advanced levels of basketball, I made even more friendships.
Of the best friends that I have in my life, I can honestly say that they almost all were bred from basketball.
It sounds so insignificant on the surface, but looking back, I can remember the name of every, single team I played on in the proper order in my career.
After challenging a few of my friends to do the same this past weekend, they succeeded with shining colors.
If this column resonates with your own experiences in youth sports, I’m sure if you think hard enough, you can remember the same.
The kids I played with growing up were the same folks I’d associate with at school. We’d go through the wars of studying, tests, and all other childhood challenges together.
On Saturday mornings, we’d head to the Galliano Centroplex and unite together as a team to try our hardest to achieve victory.
We’d arrive early and enjoy a pre-game snack. The smell of fresh-cooked beignets filled the entire atmosphere in the Centroplex air.
After the game, we’d get a 10-K (an old drink similar to Gatorade) and we’d sit in the stands and admire the work of the older kids.
We didn’t realize at the time that these kids were just a few years older than we were. It didn’t matter. Seeing their advanced level of play inspired most everyone to work harder and get better.
When the game got boring, we’d run to the concession stand – either to eat more or to take a peek at the TV screen for a look at the scores going on around the world of college football.
I don’t want readers to be misguided into thinking I’m some basketball juggernaut – I’m merely just an enthusiast.
I was never an elite player. Heck, I was never even a very good player.
But as I sat on the floor of the Harang Auditorium this week at the Biddy World Tournament, I couldn’t help but to remember the time the 9-and-10-year-old Raptors swept through the Galliano Biddy Basketball league with an undefeated record.
We then marched forward to Cut Off and played in that Biddy league’s open tournament – an event we won to establish ourselves as the best youth basketball team in the area.
I also couldn’t help but to remember the night of my 12-year-old postseason banquet when I finally got my Biddy Basketball jacket – an article of clothing that still hangs in my bedroom closet today.
Those were the days.
The memories and friendships those kids are making now will last them a lifetime.
I know from first-hand experience.
Those were some of the best times in this young man’s entire life.
The 1991 Chicago Bulls Iddy Biddy boys’ basketball team was one for the ages. TPT Sports Editor Casey Gisclair, on the top row, second from the left, remembers his Biddy Basketball experience this week. He said that the memories one makes in youth basketball lasts a lifetime.
