ALL THE WAY TO STATE!

This picture is from City League Basketball 7 or 8 years ago.  We knew then - well, even before then - that this group of boys had amazing talent, and that we would see them go far in sports when they were in high school. And they haven't proved us wrong one bit!

They've dropped a few teammates (one being my son, who is pictured here, but decided that he would rather play golf than the other sports) and added a few, but they've just continued to grow and mature, and added some discipline and control along the way, to make them get to where they have gotten so far.

This year, for the first time EVER, the Tipton Tigers won the Area Championship!  That meant they got to go to the STATE basketball tournament in Oklahoma City!  We played last Thursday.  It was an exciting time, and although we didn't get past the first game of the State Tournament, it was still a great accomplishment to get there. We are all looking forward to getting back there next year, and getting past that first game.  We want to play at THE BIG HOUSE!  They will do so next year, just by getting to the State Tournament.  But they will play there on Friday night, too.  They will do it! I just know it!

              

Our nephew, Travis (pictured right), is the coach for the boys' basketball team.  Taking them to State hadn't been done in Tipton basketball for 40 years! Coach Chambers, pictured left, accomplished that task through the losers' bracket, in 1974!  How neat that he was able to go cheer on Travis' team this year! He is a great supporter of our schools' athletics. I'm sure he could easily remember the excitement he felt, himself, 40 years ago!

Growing up in a smaller town than Tipton, basketball was our "big" sport. I'm always sad when the basketball season is over.  And for Tipton, since we made it to State in football, it shortens the basketball season by a month.  That makes it extra-fast!  So, I don't like to hurry things up or see my children's lives go any faster, but I must admit that I'm ready to shout again, "ALL THE WAY TO STATE!" :)  Go, Tigers!