Love Bomb

I loved going to basketball games in HS. The guys in my grade would proclaim a theme for each Friday night and everyone would participate. We'd yell, "CHIA, CHIA, What-you-want, What-you-want" at Kyle Garrison as he ran down the court (his hair resembled a Chia pet. When someone from our team made their free throw the entire student section screamed, "WOOSH Ahhh, yeah-yeah-yeah, what-what, yeah dog, here we go, what now." But that kind of enthusiasm and crowd participation was only found in the stands of Varsity guys games.

A couple weeks ago I conspired with five bible study girls to show up at one of Olivia's basketball games with posters to cheer her on. When Ryan suggested that our YL team start Love Bombing under-appreciated events I suggested that we start with this game. Tonight these basketball teams got Love Bombed big time.

The sparse crowd of parents wasn't expecting our arrival. We set up camp in the top part of one whole section of bleachers. I had girls show up in tu-tus and overalls, they were stoked. We got the Junior High kids that had come to cheer on their friends to wear face paint too.

But the best part was cheering for the girls. We got to yell for the 7th grade team first and then the 8th graders. Screaming all of their names, applauding excellent plays, putting our Paws Up for free throws and trying to join in the cheerleaders chants became our job.

The girls were so excited to see us holding up posters with their names, to have people in the audience on their feet and going crazy. Ryan, Ben and Mitch came up with great ideas for how we can Love Bomb the other team, the referee and everyone in the audience next time.

During the second game the 7th grade team sat in the stands below us and joined in the cheering. They put our posters and their Paws Up in the air too. A few of these girls have just become my students this semester and it was so cool to see them out there doing something they love.

Tonight was a total success. Both teams had huge victories. I love that our super fans were all asking when we can go Love Bombing again, this could become a great tradition.

Olivia Kegley and the rest of the Lady Panthers are such rock stars, it was easy to be enthusiastic about cheering them on.