Hanna's Basketball Season

Senior year. Varsity Basketball. Cardston Cougars.

Hanna had a great senior year basketball season. Their league is tough. There are 5 teams in our league that are ranked in the province. We have loved following and supporting Hanna in her games and tournaments.

The first tournament of the year was at SAIT in Calgary. Hali Leishman and I drove up together to watch. They beat Father Lacombe and William Aberheart. Hanna got player of the game against William Aberheart. A girl on that team said to Hanna, "Do you wear those knee pads so you can flop?" Hanna said, "Yes, how did you know?" Then Madison Leishman walked in between them and said to the other girl, "Don't talk to her." #friendsstandingupforfriends

Then we drove Hanna and Madison back to Cardston so they could take the ACT. Then we all went back to Calgary to watch the Cougars in the championship game. We lost to Western Canada 68-63. Hanna sat half of the game because she was in foul trouble and ended up fouling out. The thing is she still tied for leading scorer with 13 points (4 3-pointers) even though she sat so much of the game. #acouplerevengefouls

Cougar Classic. Home tournament. Didn't go well.

The next tournament was at Chinook High School in Lethbridge. Hanna's team lost to LCI in the championship 65-61.

On to St. Mary's tournament in Calgary. We missed the first game, but she beat Paul Kane and Hanna had 28 points. Everyone told us she played phenomenal. Then they beat St. Mary's - the whole team played so well. They went to the championship game against St. Albert, the number one team in Alberta. Our girls went in with a nothing-to-lose attitude and played so well. They stuck right with them for the first three quarters, but the other team pulled ahead at the end.

This was the third tournament they ended up in second place. Second place teams don't take a picture. They just lost. But I made them gather for a picture because they got silver medals and they played so well.  Hanna was so mad. She was mad while we were taking it. Later she told me she wasn't going to forgive me for it.

This is proof that we were up at halftime against the number one team in Alberta - St. Albert.

Tri-Prov was the next tournament at Harry Ainlay High School in Edmonton.  Once again, our team had to play against Paul Kane for their first game, but we didn't go the first day. We won, but it was a much tighter game. Then our team had to play against Raymond. We had just played at Raymond for a league game on Tuesday. The game on Tuesday was a battle and we ended up winning by 1 point. We were ahead by 1 with a couple seconds left, and so as soon as we passed it in, they were trying to foul Maddie Barfuss quickly, but the ref called a travel on Maddie instead. Worst call ever. Everyone on both teams knew it should have been a foul instead of a travel. Anyway, we still won by one point. So then 4 days later we had to play them again, and we didn't play well. We lost by like 20.  We played in the third place game and won against Harry Ainlay.
It was so super cold in Edmonton like -28. Oh it was cold.

Magrath Tournament and several league games ended the season.
The Cougars ended the season 11-3 placing second in the league. Hanna was the high scorer for her team scoring 212 points in league games which is an average 15.1 per game. Go Hanna!

Austin left a note in Hanna's shoe for one of the games. Then he sent her this text before another game...

No note in your shoe today. So here it is, as lame as texting is. Greatness is not born it is made by hours in the gym, hours of traveling by bus, parents picking you up after practice. People coaching and friends pushing you to be better then you are on your own. 
More then all that greatness is in your mind and heart. You have been great from the time you stepped on the floor. 
Tonight Hanna find purpose for playing. Not just to win, not to points or a season are anything related to the game. A purpose that is bigger then the game. The reason you give all you have everyday. The reason you will do great things. Find that purpose and tonight you will be unstoppable. Love you and thanks for letting me be apart of your amazing journey.
Love dad.