Check out the New Player for the Iowa Lightning Basketball Team - ELYSE!!!

Well, now that it has officially started, I can share our news about Elyse.  (She has been making us wait until practice was official.)  After many girls trying out (you can read about it on the website I have at the bottom), Elyse was asked to join the state AAU time called the Iowa Lightning!!!!!  We are so, so, so, so proud of her!  She had her first official practice yesterday in Des Moines, and she loved it.....worked very hard....and loves her new team.  She is on the "Red team" which are freshman and sophomores.  You will see there are other teams (white is jr. high, another is sophomores, 2 are sophomores/juniors as this is kind of done by age) when you check the site below.

She was very excited yesterday, as well as a little nervous at first, to join the many girls there for serious basketball.  She was excited as each player gets their "Lightning" practice jersey, a "Lightning" duffle bag, as well as some really cool uniforms.  She absolutely loves her new teammates, and she already "friended" some on Facebook.  Wayne and I were personnally overwhelmed at the "size" of some of these girls, especially the older ones. We will be the first to admit that we were also very overwhelmed with emotion as Elyse walked onto the court with all these strong basketball players.....there were even tears of "proud parent".....I'll admit it.  She could have asked Wayne for a new car yesterday and she could have had it!  That is how proud we were.

 Elyse may be tall but these girls have "meat" on them....wow! This is just what Elyse needs as she needs to get "mean" in the inside. The great part is the coaches consider all five teams "one team" and "one family".  We are very impressed with the program, the emails the players get for both shooting and life skills each week, as well as the communication involved.  It is a fabulous group to belong to.

A funny is we had to order "Lightning T-shirts" yesterday and turn in our order.  Our family ordered so many that you'd think Elyse was playing for the WNBA!  Elyse is even a little embarrassed and told me that I had to pick them up from the coaches next week as she was totally embarrassed!  hehehe  Her grandpa even said he might have to retire so he can be at some of the weekend tournaments!   Proud Papa!

So if you go to the website I have below, read all about the Lightning, then go to the side and click on "Red Team Profiles"......go down the team and there is Elyse!  Click on her name and you will see information as well as be able to click on her player profile.  The "player profile" just tells info extra info about her.  You can also see her schedule.....anyone free for a "roadtrip"?????

http://www.iowalightning.com

You can also select their schedule......our family theme will be "On the Road Again" as we have lots of traveling ahead of us.  Looks like we are heading to Missouri this weekend.  Besides these big tournaments, she has practice every Sunday in Des Moines until summer.  Then it is every Wednesday night.  So....sing along....."On the road Again......Just can't wait to get on the road again......."

Yeah Elyse!  We are so, so, so, so proud of you!  (Even Alex is so proud of his big sister that he had to go along yesterday and skip basketball).  He is now determined to get on a state AAU team in the future.  We know he can do it as well!  Great.......but I hope gas prices go down by then......:)

Go Iowa Lightning!!!!!!