Sometime this winter, Vivi got hooked on shooting baskets at the Carleton gym. With spring slowly on the way, Shannon and I decided we would get a hoop that we could roll in and out of the garage. (Our townhouse association’s rules prohibit putting up a permanent hoop, either on the townhouse itself or in the ground.) As luck would have it, I found someone at work who was selling a used but serviceable hoop for just $30. Though I had to do some gruntwork to get the thing home and assembled last weekend (and might need to do some minor repairs later), it’s paid off enormously:
I’d guess that Genevieve has spent about fifteen hours shooting baskets, and that Julia has spent about ten, which is remarkable given that she’s far less inclined toward sporty stuff.
Not only is it fun to watch them dribble and shoot (and endlessly chase the runaway balls), but I’ve been impressed at how much they’ve already improved. Vivi can make a basket with her light but more-or-less regular-sized ball from just about anywhere on our driveway, and Julia – using a men’s regulation basketball – has gotten very adept at shots from close in. I think it might already be time to raise the hoop a couple notches.