Basketball court

At our home, we have a concrete pad at the back of the house where the garages are. About two months I decided to turn the area into a basketball court with the painted and striped concrete and a college size goal/ backboard. I had this company install the goal and backboard because it really needed to be done right to hold the weight etc. and as we say in the south, it is not ‘just’ a basketball goal but it is the ‘smack daddy’ goal.

In regards to the painted floor area, striping etc., I decided I would do the painting. I researched the dimensions of a court and I got my plan together and loaded up and went to buy the paint, markers, rollers, etc.  and commenced painting the basketball court. I did not anticipate how hard it would be, nor did I anticipate how I would not be able to move for a few days after I got it done. Well, I got it done and after I got my back healed up from bending over for hours, I got out and shot some basketball. The court really turned out well and while it is an amateur job, the average person couldn’t tell the difference.

When I was younger, I played a lot of basketball and was somewhat able to hold my own in a game. I quickly realized that while my mind was still ready, my body wasn’t. I couldn’t do what I used to be able to do. Now my jump shot is basically a flatfooted hop (ha) about 3 inched off the ground. In fact, when I jump, I don’t go high enough for my toes to clear. Ha.

I also realized something else that was important. My old basketball goal would wiggle and wobble and there was a certain angle you had to shoot the ball to get it to drop into the goal. This new set up is like throwing a tennis ball against a concrete wall. There is no wiggle, wobble or forgiveness. You either make the shot or it pings off the backboard like a superball you had as a kid. When I first started shooting on the new goal, I couldn’t hit anything. I tried to hit my favorite little backboard fade jumper shot and I missed it the first 10 times I tried.

So, it is kind of like life, most of the time you can’t do what you used to do the same way, so you need to adapt and or adjust to how things are now. In many cases, you need to learn all over again. So, life like basketball is a learning experience that is rewarded ever now and then by the perfect shot that reminds us of the joy of staying in the game. KT

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