Anyone who loves a sport would jump at the opportunity to play as often as possible. This year the St. Joe’s boys basketball team barely had enough players to form a junior high team. Prior to the beginning of the season, St. Joe’s had four boys, all of which were 8th graders, try out for the team. In order to have the opportunity to compete this season they would need to have a minimum of six players, preferably at least seven or eight.
The coach of the St. Joe’s boy’s team, Mr. Lally, was in need of additional players to develop a team. Frankie Lally and Allaina Murphy, who play on the girls junior high team, volunteered to play for the boys team in addition to the girls team. The opportunity to play on both the boys and girls teams does not occur very often and is an experience that both girls agreed to be a part of without any hesitation. It was a chance to enhance their game.
If someone sits down and watches a game, it will be apparent to them that it takes desire, strength and enthusiasm. Girls and boys both have these skills, but they demonstrate them differently. Boys tend to use their strength, and girls use their sense of awareness or ardor to move the ball around. I’ve observed that boys, in general, aren’t as willing to pass the ball around. A boys game is one of a faster pace. It is a physical and aggressive game. Boys jump much higher and run much faster than girls, and when rebounding, you are often sandwiched between bigger and stronger players. It takes a lot of concentration to come out of the pack with the ball.
In a girls game you will often see plays being called and screens being set, there are more “pick and rolls” and “give and goes” than in a boys game. In a boys game you will notice that they sort of “go with the flow,” they don’t have many set plays; playing basketball with the boys team is more of a spontaneous game.
While playing with the girls is more enjoyable, I appreciate the opportunity of playing with the boys and getting extra gym time every week.
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