Lightning Takes 3rd Place at UNI Tournament

Lightning Red team 3rd Place UNI (minus Coach Doud and Maddie)

We had another great weekend of basketball last weekend down at UNI.  Yes...it was close (at least under a 2 hour drive so that is close for us).  After 6 games, the girls ended 4 and 2 and came out in 3rd place! Their coach, Coach Doud was gone Sunday (he had a golf tournament....see why he and Wayne get along so well:), and we were a little worried Coach BL (can't say her name. She is in back row, left edge of picture and plays for Grandview College Women's Basketball) was not going to pull the team thru, but she did!  Even after another teammate (that is two now) rolled her ankle the night before, the girls pulled it thru!





It was a wonderful weekend not only because of that, but because Elyse had her own cheering section at the tournament.  Thank you to G'ma Judy, Carol, John, the girls, Randy, Lori, Justin, and Cody for coming down and cheering Elyse and the team on in their first two games! That was very nice of everyone and meant a lot to all of us!! Thank you also to G'ma Janet and Sara for traveling in for the whole weekend and seeing what a weekend with the Lightning is like.  I think having everyone there was good luck because the Lightning is usually not a "morning team" but they were this past weekend and came out strong. (Can't say that for the game that followed that day......:)  It was nice to have everyone there, cheering, and then celebrating/eating at Elyse and Alexs' favorite place to each on the Hill in Cedar Falls, Beck's.  (Sorry, one picture is fuzzy).  Fun family time!

Elyse is loving her time with the team and we are all a little sadden to see it almost come to an end!  One more practice in Des Moines on Wednesday night and one more tournament in Pella.  The girls are really meshing together well and playing good ball (when they want to) so it is sad for it to end.  Our family has loved the weekends away and spent some much time together with each other that it has been beneficial for all of us as well!  And we have also met some other parents of girls on the team that hopefully we will get to know very well over the next 3 years.  Not only has Elyse learned so much about basketball, she has received so much information on life skills and leadership and stepping "out of the comfort zone" that it is more about life in general than basketball. 

Alex, although he may appear bored at so many games, said he actually is enjoying the time away with all of us together as well.  He brings a basketball to shoot hoops at time outs and halftimes and is making friends himself with other "brothers" on the team.  So....although it is easy to feel sorry for him, don't.  He gets a lot out of it as well (plus usually some golf time with his dad).  This weekend he finally got his new Trek bike for his birthday and we are all looking forward to many bike rides as a family on the trails (whenever that will fit in).

So nice job once again Lightning Red team!  Keep it up!