We Be Ballin'!

Last weekend was FILLED with basketball. And, lots of other stuff. :) Here's the weekend in pictures....

FRIDAY
4:00 PM - Take a picture with all the girls in my office
*They don't have the tradition of "dressing up" on game days here...but we brought that to India last Friday! Aren't they all so cute?!


6:00 PM - Supper with all the teams

7:00 PM - Indian Music Concert
* I had to wear a saree...and the girls were CONVINCED they could put it on me better than I could. 30 minutes later, I'm dressed and ready to go. :) (note that I look more like a mummy than concert-ready!)


8:45 PM - Basketball Game #1
*Quick change from concert attire to game-wear, and we're ready to go.


Halftime - dance tradition with Mr. Luukkonen

Outcome: Friday's game was ROUGH. Indian basketball rules are very different than American rules...but we apparently missed the memo, because the girls were basically being body-checked the whole game. I had to send 6 different girls out into the hall because they were so upset...and I actually ended up yelling at the head of the P.E. department because I was so frustrated that the refs weren't calling anything. At the end of the game the girls were beaten, bruised, and exhausted...but they had handled themselves SO WELL, and I was so proud. :)

SATURDAY
10:30 AM - arrive at school for a day filled with basketball matches!
3:30 PM - second and final match of the tournament.
* Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day...I love these girls!

Supriti and Stutii watching from the side...

Samiha, Eriko, and Kethayun posing for the camera...

Team huddle...

Working hard during our second match...

Stutii watching the boy's game intently...

Ugyen, Samiha and Istuti cheering on the Woodstock boys...

Amber...

Kethayun...

Anjuri...

The whole team, lovin' life once our games were over!

5:00 PM - Awards ceremony

While we came in third (out of three...!), I was SO proud of how hard they worked. They barely knew how to dribble on the first day of practice, and they really held their own at this tournament. AND, they did it while juggling school, music, and an intensely scheduled life.

6:00 PM - The after-party
Afterwards....SLEEPOVER! Chris graciously allowed me to invite the girls over for a sleepover, where we made pizza and brownies, had girl-talk, and watched Coach Carter/The Devil Wears Prada. :) I felt like I was in junior high all over again (except this time around was much more fun!)

Good times had by all. :)