Isn't Life Goldy?

When I returned home from yoga class yesterday, my husband and our daughters were putting coats on and heading off somewhere.

"We're going to a basketball game!" K said enthusiastically.

"You are? Who's playing?"

"Minnesota," my husband answered.

"Wow girls, " I said squatting down to button a coat, "Did you know daddy played basketball on that team?"

"We're going to watch the girls play," my husband corrected. (Should have known since we had just watched the boys play on television the night before--pregnancy brain interference).

My husband was taking our three daughters to watch girls college basketball. Was it Valentine's Day already?

Aside from the fact being home alone would allow me to score a two hour nap (and it was heaven), my daughters were going to their first basketball game--ever. The impression they'll be left with is that girls play basketball. When I grew up, and this was post Title IX, girls played sports, but not to the extent they do today. Plus, I didn't grow up watching other women play sports. When I went back to my high school reunion last year I found out the pom pon squad (full disclosure: I was on it) no longer existed. I asked our teacher what happened and she said that all the girls play sports now. Fantastic news, even if it did come at the expense of pom pons.

When my daughters came home I learned all about Minnesota Women's Basketball. First of all they won--making them the only team in the Big 10 undefeated on their home court; that they played Iowa; that 8000 people attended; that their favorite players were Zoe, Emily and Kiara; that cheerleaders were there and they danced at half-time (more full disclosure, I was a pom pon girl in college too and we never danced at the girls games); and then they showed me how to dribble a ball and shoot a basket. 

Somewhere around my house I have my old pom pon uniforms and the pom pons, too. They'll stay boxed up for now. It took me a long time to figure out I didn't want to be on the sidelines cheering for someone else. I think my girls are getting a good start knowing that they can be in the game. Thanks to girls like Zoe, Emily and Kiara, and especially their dad.