This week I'm back in Mom Mode. Our 10 1/2 year old granddaughter, Jordan, is spending the week with us so that she can attend the Jeff Mittie Women's Basketball Camp for Girls. Last week, Jordan went to the Cold Aldredge Basketball Camp for Kids in Lawrence. That one was for boys and girls, so her little brother, Cole, went, also. They stayed with their other grandparents for that one.
Yes, Jordan and Cole come from a divided family. Their mom is K-State and Dad is for KU. It's a fun rivalry in our family. So, it's nice that Jordan has been able to spend time on both campuses. What will happen when these kids reach college choice age is anyone's guess. My guess is that one will go to KU and one to K-State. We'll have to wait and see.
This morning, we had a simple registration at the basketball training center and then I stayed to watch for a little while. Mostly mothers there with the girls, a few dads and a couple other grandparents. The girls range in age from 8-14 so there all sizes of kids swarming the floor tossing purple basketballs towards a hoop that must have seemed an eternity away for some of the little ones.
I couldn't help but think about the many stories there were amongst the girls and the parents and grandparents who watched as the camp began with assistant coaches and K-State women's team players took charge. Head Coach, Jeff Mittie, apologized to the adults that he'd only be in attendance for 2 of the 5 days. He's new to K-State and so had to fly to Texas to close on a house, meet a moving van, and then take a son to the naval academy for his first year. He said he normally spends all 5 days at the kids' camp but life took over this time. I think the girls are in good hands with the staff he's left.
Now, there's another story--Jeff Mittie left after several years at TCU coaching the women's team. What drew him to K-State? What factors were involved when he said he'd accept the offer made? What did the rest of his family think about moving from Ft. Worth, Texas to Manhattan, Kansas?
Each of the K-State players have a story, too. They came to K-State, most on scholarship, from all over the country. Sometimes, we get players from other countries as well. Each one of those young women have taken a different path to get to K-State and play on the team. I think they would have some fascinating stories.
What about all the kids attending? More stories. Some have lived in Kansas their entire life, some have come here because their parent(s) took jobs at K-State, a few are here because their parent(s) are in the Army and based at nearby Ft. Riley.
In chatting with another grandmother this morning, both at the beginning and ending of the session, I learned a great deal about her family. It's a story worth telling--including what her daughter and son-in-law do for a living and what the grandparents do to help out.
Look around you, no matter where you are. Everyone has a story. What's yours?
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