High School Basketball

I wasn't much for extra curricular activities in high school. I was a trumpet player in the school band, but I was able to weasel my way out of having to be in the marching band for football and the pep band for basketball. Since I was heavily involved in bodybuilding, I was able to convince my band teacher, Mr. Hoernemann, that my obligation to perform outside of class was excusable. I liked playing the trumpet and wanted to take lessons, but I wasn't interested in being part of the band crowd. Therefore, I do not recall ever going to a football, basketball, or any other "ball" game the 3 1/2 years I attended James B. Conant High School in Hoffman Estates, IL.

Even though I didn't go to any games, I still remember the school song: "Conant High, fight fight never die, stand, cheer, go team victory's near, rough (baby), tough (baby) Conant High has the stuff. Blue, White, Cougaaaars, Fight!" It amazes me that I remember that, but I am sure it's mostly because my participation in Pep Rallys was unavoidable and so, like the Pledge of Allegiance I learned in kindergarten, the Conant High song lives deep inside my memory.

Since graduating from high school over 20 years ago, I've been to two more basketball games than I ever attended while I was there. Once about six years ago, when Frederic was two when, because he loved basketball so much, I felt it would be cool for him to see a live game. He doesn't remember the game, but I do. I remember how incredibly focused he was--at two--watching the girl's team defeat Schaumburg on a Friday night.

The other time was tonight.

Frederic has been playing basketball since December for the Elk Grove Park District. It's his first time playing basketball on a team and he seems to have a natural talent and appreciation for the game. So, like any attentive parent, I am trying to feed his desire with real life examples of how people play the game.

In late December, I took him to a Loyola game. We went out for pizza before the game at one of my favorite places, Carmen's, on Sheridan Road. It was just the two of us. I let him order the toppings for the pie (mushrooms, pineapple, and sausage), and he had a bowl of Chicken Noodle soup while we waited. I told him different memories about being at Loyola. About the dorm, about the apartment I lived in, about the campus. He really seemed interested in what I was telling him.

When it came time to buy tickets, Frederic asked if we could get floor seats. General Admission seats were around $10 for me and any seat in the stadium was $5 for Frederic. Floor seats were $30. I sprang for the floor seats, figuring when was I actually going to be able to afford the best seats in the house. Frederic was ecstatic.

The game was great. I saw people I knew from school, we were right near the action, and Frederic got to learn a bit more about the game he was fast beginning to love.

Basketball practice for Frederic's team is usually on Friday nights. They had the night off because the schools were closed during the day. I checked the Conant website and saw that they had a home game scheduled tonight. Securing the proper authorization from Cyndi and Lily, I was able to excuse our presence at the regularly scheduled "movie night" and take Frederic to the game. The varsity team was playing Palatine. When Frederic was in football this past season, their team lost in the playoffs to Palatine. Needless to say, he's not a big fan of their sports teams.

On the way into the game in the parking lot, Frederic told me that he really liked going to see places that I had spent so much time at in my life. He was excited.

Before we got inside, I told him that the set-up in the gym was probably unlike that of Loyola's. Meaning, no floor seats. Little did I know that the first row of the bleachers was going to be open and allow us to be right in the action again. We were set.

Frederic's eight, so his attention span for things like putting on his shoes, or getting ready for religious ed, or leaving Lily alone, well, it's short. Not for basketball games. He was completely engrossed in the action. Able to report the point totals for the players, who had fouls, who was his favorite player. It was the Loyola game all over again.

Funny thing was, the coach, Mr. McCormick, was a teacher at Conant when I was a student. He looked the same, smaller glasses maybe, but frozen in time.

Before the game was finished, and Conant would defeat Palatine by 18 points, Frederic announced that when he went to high school (which would be Conant if we are still living in this house), he wanted to play on the team. I was a little taken aback because it's the first time I've heard him talk about going to a public school. He told me that Cyndi already knew about his desire to go to high school and that she was okay with it. "But," he said, "we'll cross that bridge when we get there." Smart.

The only thing I can predict about that particular future is, if Frederic does decide to go to high school and he is talented enough to make the basketball team, I'll surely have no excuse to not come to the games. Conant High School or not.