Tournament 2 of Iowa Lightning......Nailbiters all Weekend...Alex and Grandma Time



Elyse posting up against "The Force"

 We made our second trip for an Iowa Lightning Tournament.  This time down to a suburb of Kansas City called Shawnee Mission.  We woke up to leave early Saturday morning to some snow and ice so we were glad to be heading south.   When we arrived in Shawnee Mission, the clerk at the hotel said that he was sorry we didn't arrive on a nicer day.  Little did he know we left snow and were glad to be where it was almost 60 degrees. 



Elyse on defense against The Force



Elyse scoring against the Eclipse



posting up against big girl from "Force"



Team after 2 point loss to the Force... Elyse is exhausted!

 While Elyse's Lightning team did not pull out any wins at this tournament, they played some rough matches and lost all the games within a few points. The second game was against a very good Kansas City team called the "Force".  They practice all year round, 3 times a week.  Elyse's coach told the girls afterwards that this team usually beats the Iowa Lightning by 30 at the beginning of the Lightning season.  Elyse's team was down by as much as 12 but pulled it within 2 points with 1 minute left.  Elyse even made the basket to put us within 2 points, but it wasn't enough and the Force stalled to pull out the win.  It was a very, very agressive match and I thought the girls were going to come out in pain, and tired considering we didn't start this game until 9:30 at night.  When the team was done chatting, Elyse said the girls on the team thought that was the best game ever and the most fun!  Well....they definitely played awesome and agressive, but I think if she plays like that in Iowa when the high school season starts....she will probably foul out in the first 5 minutes.  :)  She loved it.

We lost our last game on Sunday again by 2 points.  Lightning girls just couldn't pull it together, missed a lot of shots, and the refs were pulling for the local Kansas City team.  In the first half, we had over 11 fouls called on us and they had 2.  It was worse the second half so there was no way the refs were going to let us win.  Even in the last seconds, Elyse and the other big girl on the inside were shooting with the opponent on their backs and fouling, but no whistle was called.  Oh well....all in all, the team played great and it was another weekend of fun for our family. 

Being Alex had baseball practice this weekend as well, Grandma Janet and Papa came up to stay with him for the weekend.  I think they had a nice, quiet weekend.  Alex had just returned from a sleepover in which I don't think he had much sleep.  Alex told his G'ma Janet that Saturday was his day to rest because he "gets up early two days a week to lift weights, plays baseball two days a week, and lifts two days after school."  He said Saturday was his "day off"........  Really Alex?  :)  Could it have been you were just a little tired from your sleepover???  He told us he had a super time with Gma Janet and Papa!  Thanks to them for coming up and helping out!  I think we are going to need a lot of that this summer....

Until next tournament.....Mother's Day weekend.....back to Shawnee Mission down by Kansas City.....Alex also has his first baseball tournament so it looks like a mother - daughter trip to Kansas City.  Anyone want to ride along????