A chance encounter as we turned around one corner of a beautiful garden in Brightlingsea on Saturday and we bumped into M and family. Woh. I wasn’t expecting that. Conversation flowed about gardening, bicycles and then inevitably basketball. M let it slip out that his under-18 team are already in training ahead of the new season, which starts in October. That’s keen I thought.
And then this morning, whilst up at the university for pickleball, I left the sports hall and bumped into Coach Hart. Ah so he’s back at HQ. I thought the whole coaching staff was on some long sabbatical over the summer months; they certainly deserve a rest after a really hectic schedule travelling up and down the country for the best part of eight months.
We exchanged a friendly smile. I even called him Coach. I think he was slightly more embarrassed than I was. Never meet your heroes, etc, even if they are from a local basketball team that nobody else has heard of.
Back at base and I fired up the emails. It’s season ticket renewal time for the Rebels. Talk about getting in there early. We’re talking an early bird price. There’s been a slight increase this year but still at £110 for a season ticket, which covers all the men’s and women’s basketball, as well as the volleyball, that’s exceptional value for money.
I really miss our Saturday evenings up at the Essex Sports Arena. Sure it can get a little demanding. Thankfully the treble header games seem to have been lost with the AWOL men’s second team.
Heading up there every week for a couple of games from October through until May can wear you down, but once you’re there it’s bloody good fun. The cheque is in the post for the season tickets etc.
Oh yeah - I really did want to watch the NBA series. I know little of the Knicks but I got suckered into the whole Knicks hype train of perennial losers who are about to pull off something special.
Up the Rebs, up the Knicks. That sounds all wrong.