BallBoy’s Basketball Beater

Preamble:

Angus covered for me on Monday’s beatdown as I was under the weather so I got his Wednesday slot for the Hooch.  Feeling more energetic regardless of the 5 hours of sleep, I was glad to be out there on (hopefully) the last morning of the Spring with the temps in the 30’s.

Warm-O-Rama:

Began with a mosey to the bakery for warm-up

• SSH
• Little Baby Arm Circles
• Windmills
• Weedpickers
• Merkins
• Mountain Climbers

The Thang:

Post warm-up we moseyed to the Perimeter annex field where YHC explained the beatdown was basketball-themed thanks to the NBA Playoffs being under way (Sorry, no Gary Glitter music this time).

We started with a Monkey Drill (low slides) with a Bobby Hurley after each stride. ~10 paces down and 10 paces back. PAX indicated their quads were properly activated.

Next, a mosey across the field where we set up for a high school basketball practice favorite, Sweet 16s. Sweet sixteens are traditionally 16 trips running across the short side of a bball court. YHC set up our court and then (poorly) explained our mods. PAX partnered up and while P1 ran down and back, P2 would perform Mercans, then switch. Next time the exercising partner would switch to Makhtar N’Diayes (named for a UNC bball player btw). Partners would keep alternating running and alternating the 2 excercises until each partner had completed 8 down-and-backs or 16 lengths total.

We then trotted to the adjacent parking lot for a round of Wilt Chamberlain. 4 exercises of 100 reps (in honor of “The Stilt” and his 100 point game) travelling between 2 stations:

• 100 LBCs
• 100 Squats
• 100 Flutter Kicks
• 100 Lunges

Back to the field b/c we had started to knock the grass off our shoes and needed a refill. YHC set up 3 makeshift ‘cones’, properly identified by Angus as bed risers, and instructions were given. In reverence to the Triangle Offense of the Jordan-era Bulls, this one is named the “Bearmuda Triangle”.  PAX evenly split at each of the 3 cones would Bear Crawl to the next cone and perform 1 Burpee, then Bear Crawl to the next code and perform 2 Burpees. This continued until each PAX had worked up to 5 Burpees and back down to 1 Burpee. Somewhere during this nonsense is where FNG Mr. Softy tapped out and questioned his decisions, but YHC assured him when I started that Bear Crawls were the worst thing ever.

We moseyed back toward the flag stopping for lunges in the ‘Lunge Lot’ and one more bit of fun. PAX lined up at the end of the big parking lot for what WOULD have been another bball practice favorite, Suicides, but with only 3 minutes remaining YHC shortened it a bit. PAX would run and perform 3 Burpees at every OTHER parking lot lane until reaching the flag.

A few AmHams to round out for the Six and YHC called it good.

COT:

A heavy day lay ahead for those who knew Ready-Mix as this was the day of his funeral.  An unimaginable turn of events that quickly changed lives.  We are thankful for the life-changing person that Stewart was while he was with us and hope to be as thoughtful, encouraging and inviting to others as he always would be.  Prayers lifted for his family and for the PAX as we hope to be as prepared a Ready-Mix was, when our time on earth is up.

Naked-Man Moleskin:

Be intentional.  I need to be more intentional.  The stories of Ready-Mix over the last few days illustrate how that looks and I’m better for having heard them, better for having known him.

Picture provided includes most of the PAX who attended the funeral.  Some were present but not pictured.  Some wanted to be there but couldn’t.  It was a great celebration of his legacy.