Well, first, I would be remiss if I didn't call out ESPN for not posting the full results from Friday night's game on its Bottomline. It seems to me that ESPN must be getting incomplete data from the scores from around the nation. Thank goodness, I have this medium to post full results. I would hate for any scouts to miss out on Jenna's achievements.
In an odd turn of luck, the cleaning lady happened through the gymnasium during practice instead of during the game. I would also like to add that I hope, beyond all hope, that she is, indeed, Hispanic because Jenna once again made a beeline for her; however, this time, she said "Hola, Miss Cleaning Lady. Como estas?" The Cleaning Lady had a look on her face that I recognized as the same one that very famous people give stalkers.
During practice, there were a few (ok, two) moments that led me to believe that our team might, indeed, be a legitimate contender in non-competitive basketball. Jenna hit the rim once and hit the backboard once...both times with the ball, which is a glorious feeling! Unfortuntately, she also threw the ball straight up into the air the other 12 times she ran the same drill.
Our major obstacle this week was with catching the ball. Jenna has an uncanny ability to not pay attention in general; however, that ability is magnified by about 1000 times when an object is being passed to/thrown at her. I use both phrases because at times it is unclear as to the intent of the thrower as many of them are lacking in skills albeit to a lesser degree than Jenna, yet still to a larger degree than most normally developed six year olds. Jenna got hit in the face once and in the shoulder once. If she had even been following the game remotely - even in her periphery - she would not have gotten hit in the face with the ball. I don't know what she was looking at, but it wasn't anything involving basketball.
The bright spot of the game when Jenna's laziness and lack of interest produced a new defensive strategy that I'm sure will be picked up by all non-competitive coaches and their players. Keep in mind only three players are playing at a time while I try to describe the new play invented by my daughter that I have decided to call Malaise (due primarily to the lack of ease that I felt):
Purple scores a basket leaving Maroon to take the ball up the court. Jenna decides that it would be better for the team if she just stays behind underneath Purple's basket on the off chance that Purple comes back that way (I can only assume this is what she was thinking - otherwise, it's just too depressing). So her two other teammates run down on offense while Jenna is doing her impersonation of Feste the Clown (does anyone know where I can buy the child a lyre to go with her sneakers?). Go figure Purple steals the ball from Maroon and brings the ball back down. Jenna is primed for optimal defense, right? At the very least she has proximity on her side.
Had she any idea that a) the other team would be coming back in her general direction, or that b) she was about to be faced with the spoils of her own design (read: 3 on 1 with her being the 1), it is entirely plausible that her master plan would have been successful. As it stands, however:
Purple 10, Maroon 4
In the wise words of Farmer Fran, "We live to play another day."
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