Perhaps one of the greatest descriptions of the game of basketball came from writer Garrison Keillor who said, “Basketball is such a beautiful game. Played with the legs and the tips of the fingers. Demanding you be a horse and also a bird.”
Pick a sport other than basketball and describe it similar to Mr. Keillor’s description of basketball.
Why is it called March Madness? March Madness is the final four weeks of the basketball season. It covers a lot of games played all across the country during the same month.
* If you could cover your entire school year in three months, attending 10 hours a day, seven days a week. Would you?
* When you get a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, do you eat it all at once or try and make it last?
* Did you watch all of the Harry Potter movies one at a time, or did you wait and see them back to back?
Is there beauty in anticipation? Explain.
Do you tend to focus on the game in front of you, or do you always see the tournament in your head? If you were a singer on “American Idol,” would you plan for the final round or just get through one round at a time? How does that compare to your outlook on life?
Read
* Who was the craziest fan you ever saw?
* What sport do you think has the most rabid fans? When does being a fan of a team become…shall we say…obsessive?
* Would you ever strip naked and paint yourself your team’s colors?
* Would you tattoo the name of your favorite team on your body? What about your favorite rock band?
* Is there any band/team/star you think you might be obsessive about?
Read
Talk about the game of basketball with these rule changes. Use one rule change at a time and discuss how the game would change.
1. What if basketball was a contact sport?
2. What if there were four baskets (one on each end and one on each side of the court)?
3. What if you could put 20 to 30 players on the court and it was the size of a football field?
4. What if each team could hire a set of super fans with paintball guns to sit on the sidelines?
5. What if there were no rules? As long as the player remained in the room (including the stands) everything counted, nothing was foul?
Read these verses and talk about why it’s important to set boundaries and rules in life:
Who sets your boundaries? Do they change? What does it take to change the rules in your life? Is it hard to study when you know so many of your friends are at a party? How well do you see the big picture?
* What does the phrase “Nuthin’ but net” mean? Think of it is a broader perspective. What is “nuthin’ but net” in school?
* What is “nuthin’ but net” on an night out with your friends?
* What is “nuthin’ but net” when applying for college?
* What is “nuthin’ but net” in a theater?
Look at these key positions for the five players allowed on the floor at a time. Read the description and write down the name of a person who fulfills that role in your life.
Point Guard: Should be the team’s best passer and ball handler; should be the best at playing offense and defense. This is the person who drives it up court and passes it off to the person most likely to get the basket. Who sets up shots for you? Who keeps life moving so you can prepare yourself when the big moment comes?
Shooting Guard: Usually the best at picking up the rebound when you miss the shot. Will be next to you when you shoot and either can help get the ball in when you miss or pass it back to you so you can try again. Who is most likely to be there when you fail? Who will cover for you if you miss? Who is the one who is by your side for the hard drive and lets you make the shot?
Small Forward: The all-purposed player on our team. Can drive you forward and be there to protect you from things you don’t see coming; someone who can talk you through anything, but yet close enough to let you know when you are being an idiot.
Power Forward: This is the muscle on your team; also the best at long-range scoring. Who helps you see the big picture? Who runs in front of you to take out the obstacles?
Center: This is the person who is out there first. The one with the most creative moves and well-practiced wisdom to help you get where you need to go. You should trust this person more than any other. Who do you turn to first when you want to be in control of your life?
After you have identified the players on your own team, look at the list again and decide which position best fits where Jesus plays in your life. You also can consider the roles of Coach, Cheerleader or any other person not directly in the game.
Probably before you learned to play basketball you learned to play H.O.R.S.E. Horse is a shooting game. When a player makes a basket, the next player must make a basket from the same spot. If they miss, they receive a letter “H.” When one player has received the entire word HORSE, that player loses the game.
Look at the word again. H.O.R.S.E. Come up with five words that are “life penalties” that begin with each letter of the word. After everyone has read their lists, have students think of ways they can avoid those penalties.
* What makes a team work? Read
* How do you be part of a team and still maintain your individuality?
* Being part of a successful team is similar to a tower built with Jenga blocks. What happens when once piece is removed?
Take a look at these quotes from some of basket ball’s greatest players:
“I would tell players to relax and never think about what’s at stake. Just think about the basketball game. If you start to think about who is going to win the championship, you’ve lost your focus.” —Michael Jordan
“Everything happens for a reason. I’m used to it, I prepare for it. Like I say, at the end of the day, those in charge of their own destiny are going to do what’s right for them and their family.” —Shaquille O’Neal
“A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.” —Larry Bird
“Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules” (
OK, maybe Timothy didn’t play basketball; but he had an understanding of what it means to be an athlete. Of these four quotes, which would you be most likely to clip from the page and tape to your mirror so you see it every morning when you get ready for school?
