Monday’s Pen to Paper: Snow Angels
Seattle is a wet mess this morning, but over the weekend we enjoyed a winter wonderland. It was quite unexpected. Usually there are warnings on the news, Winter Storm Watch-baton down the hatches-prepare for the worst. This time my husband and I were enjoying our “date night.” Dinner and a basketball game when the snow hit.
I was glancing out the window, a bite of Chicken Marsala half-way to my mouth, when I first saw it coming down.
“Hey, look, it’s snowing!”
This didn’t change date night, only made it better. Growing up on the east side of the state of Washington, where the weather is more extreme, snow doesn’t scare my husband and I when it comes to driving, so after dinner we made tracks through the white streets and ventured across town to the basketball game. Besides we figured it would be gone by the time the game was over.
When we walked out of the gym two hours later we found more snow.
Beautiful.
On our way home we saw an even more beautiful thing – two young men pushing a stuck car out of the road. I was reminded of when I was a kid growing up in Montana and my brother and I would spend hours digging and pushing cars out of the snow in front of our house.
This night, the process slowed traffic because the car the boys had been in was still moving slowly as to now also get stuck on the now icy slope. A small row of cars, one of which was ours, crept along, and we watched as the boys quickly freed the older mans car and waved as he drove away.
As the boys jogged passed our car, on their way to catch their driver who […]
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Searching For Something New
Our coaching staff thought it would be a good opportunity for our high school basketball team to see what happens at the next level, so we took them to a college practice this week.
It was a lot of fun for the girls to see the University of Washington basketball team practice, talk to the players and then to tour the DI locker room (things have changed since I played in the 80’s and the women’s team used the back storage room for pregame).
The day was even better for us coaches. We reminisced about “the good old days” and learned some new drills to keep our girls focused as we head into playoffs.
…always searching for something new.
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Better Late Than Never
Sometimes it’s tough to keep up with life. This didn’t happen to me often before I had a family. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade the husband, the kids and the dogs for a less hectic life. (Well, at least not permanently.) And though they are usually what gets me behind schedule, I love being with them. Watching the kids play sports, perform in a recital. Watching the SuperBowl together (Go Seahawks!!!). Having lunch with my husband. Walking the dogs.
Getting behind on thing can be frustrating. For example, Monday’s Pen to Paper is about to happen on Tuesday, I have three thank you cards to write and send that have been on my “To Do” list for two weeks, and I am way behind on updating stats for the basketball team that I coach.
But if there is one thing I’ve learned after nearly loosing my life in an accident 20 years ago, and loosing someone I love, it is that all the “little stuff” can wait. It might bug me, it might bug other people at times, but in the end what’s really important is sharing time with the people I love.
…As long as eventually, I do get my “stuff” done.
WRITING PROMPT: Write about one person that is important to you.
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: T. E. A. M
The team I coach is down to five healthy Varsity players. You heard that right FIVE. Granted, you just need five players to play a game, but it leaves no room for foul trouble or getting tired – needing a break. And I haven’t even mentioned what it does to a practice schedule.
As a player, I like the idea of having a team of five. It means starting and playing the whole game. As a coach, it’s scary.
The good news is our players that swing from the Junior Varsity squad are getting the opportunity to have more varsity experience and our usual subs are starting and spending a lot more time on the court.
I am hoping to have our two injured starters back by playoffs, but in the mean time this experience is making the team stronger as the girls learn to trust and believe in each and every one of their teammates, and learn that in order to be successful they need to work together – the true meaning of team.
Meet Sonya
Meet Sonya
Sonya Elliott's memoir, Back on the Court: A Young Woman's Triumphant Return to Life, Love & Basketball, is her story of finding hope in the wake of tragedy after she and her fiancé were hit by a train. She blogs about writing, basketball, and life and is currently working on a Young Adult Novel and a Non-Fiction Coaching book. Stories of her career as a fashion model are woven through her memoir, as both the Soloflex and Easy Spirit Shoes commercials were filmed during that time period, and this unique and intriguing business continues to be a part of her life.
Sonya played basketball at Eastern Washington University and was a starter for the Big Sky Champion team that went to the 1987 NCAA tournament. She coached for almost 25 years and was voted Seattle Times Coach of the Year, Seattle Officials Women's Basketball Association Coach of the Year, and twice voted Metro League Coach of the Year. She loves the game of basketball and is thankful, not only for her husband and kids but for her ability to continue to get back on the court.
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Monday’s Pen to Paper: Baby Steps
Do you ever have HUGE dreams of what you are going to do with your life? Times when you imagine yourself accomplishing all kinds of amazing things? And then you wake up and realize that the dreams are never going to happen, or at least that’s how you feel.
That was me this morning. Last night I had all these thoughts going on in my head about basketball and my writing and my life. I couldn’t sleep. And when I woke up, reality hit as I thought about what I would need to do to achieve these dreams.
I wish I could say that I sat down and meditated for ten minutes and found my focus, because that would have been a great thing to do, but I felt pretty good about the fact that I didn’t just crawl back […]
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Space
There may be days when you feel alone in the world or…
days when you can’t find space to breathe.
WRITING PROMPT: Write about one of these days or use one of the photos above to inspire you…
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Together We Are Strong
We had basketball tryouts this week for the high school team that I coach. We pushed the girls hard for three days and I was so impressed with how they responded. Most of the girls, including many that had never played basketball before, and perhaps never been terribly active, didn’t give up even when our conditioning coach put the hammer down. It was awesome to watch these young women push themselves and discover what they are capable of. The mind is a powerful thing and in just three days I hope that some of these girls learned that they are stronger than they ever believed.
A lesson in life, as well as on the court.
What was even better to see than the tenacity on the court, was the girls supporting one another through the tough workouts. There were last […]
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