I know I many people either saw the free throw contest or (if you were MIA that night) you heard about it (Grandma and Grandpa). Anyway, I wanted to write it here to document it (in other words, I will eventually get old and forget and if I write it here, hopefully I will remember to put it in the scrapbook/baby album/family album (what ever it is that I eventually get around to making to document the kiddos lives).
So, last Saturday we were at a CCC Red Ravens basketball game against Labette County Community College. I guess during the girls game they had a lay up contest and Ryan started to go out and sign up, but was too late to get added to the sign up list. Then during the boys half time, they had a free throw contest/Knock out game. Ryan was the only little guy out there (the announcer kept saying lets cheer for the little guy and here comes the little guy again!). The other 9 kids playing consisted of a middle school kid, one adult and the rest were college kids.
Ryan was first up and he sunk his first free throw easily (and this was on the regular court with the regulation size and height basket and everything)! The crowd went crazy cheering!!! You could tell Ryan was kind of nervous because he kept clinching and unclinching his fists at his sides. So he ran to the back of the line to wait his next turn. On his next turn up, he sunk his shot and actually got the girl ahead of him out! Again, the crowd roar was amazing! On his third turn up, a Labette College student was behind him and got him out. The crowd booed so loud that the contest organizer let Ryan continue in the game. It kept going and Ryan kept making his shots and getting people out. In the end it came down to Ryan and one other CCC baseball boy. The CCC baseball boy knew who the crowd favorite was (the cheers when Ryan would make a shot were awesome!), so when Ryan missed his shot and had to run to rebound the ball and try another, the baseball kid just underhanded the ball and "missed" so Ryan had to time get back and make the winning shot! They took Ryan to the scorers table and announced his name and his prize. He won $5 credit at the concession stand. He raced off the court to go get his prize (starburst and gatorade). I have been told by the little superstar that I MUST save his empty gatorade bottle FOREVER to help him remember that night. The rest of the evening he walked around with this little air of confidence. It was so cute! People were coming up to comment on his win and congratulate him. As if he doesn't already think he owns that gym! We told him he can't always compete in the half time stuff (don't want the crowd to get tired of him out there). I just wish I whipped out my camera and got some video so I could have posted it! I know one thing is for sure, if Ryan gets too much of an attitude from this experience, I can cut him off at the laces, because he doesn't know how to tie his own shoes and I'll refuse to tie his shoes (then he can't go to the gym) if he does get that attitude!
At the game last night Jeff said he had some people come up and mention Ryan's half time shots to him. After the game, we had our usual little practice session in the gym for almost an hour. During the last ten minutes of our shooting, I told Ryan I would pay him ten cents for every shot he made. He made $5.00 worth of baskets and has decided this is a great little game, because he wants to save up for some new wii gear!
