NEUSTAETER: Written By The Most Reluctant Raptors Fan

National Basketball League? National Basketball Club? Just, “Basketball”?

(Cue the horrified, “No!!! Mom! NBA! National Basketball ASSOCIATION! NBA! Come on!”)

I played basketball well into high school, taught it as a Summer Camp skill block for years, coached at basketball focused camps and if I had owned a hoop growing up, I probably would’ve shot for 5 hours a day like my kids do now.

I’ve always loved playing basketball, but the NBA had never interested me in the least, until my baby boys turned into teenagers.

Suddenly 75% of our household conversations for the last 2 years have revolved around basketball, a bouncing ball could be heard at all hours of the night and day, Raptors jerseys were on the Christmas lists, no one wanted to talk hockey (Dad’s sport) or soccer (my sport) and there was always a basketball game on in the background.

If I wanted to be able to relate to them at all, (and since it’s literally my job to care about what they care about) I would have to jump on my kids’ NBA train because it rolled out of the station long ago.

As my boys have become wholeheartedly dedicated to their team I have inadvertently learned more about the NBA, and specifically the Raptors, than I would have ever anticipated and definitely more than I wanted to know.

Did you know that Vince Carter played for the Raptors and is the best dunker they ever had? Or that Danny Green has “hit the 9th most 3’s” in finals history? Or that 50 years before the Raptors the Toronto Huskies existed? Or that (at $1.7 billion) the Raptors are the most valuable sports franchise in Canada?

(FYI, all of those facts were communicated to me by a 13 and 14 year old, so they might not be gospel.)

Well, I didn’t.

Because I have nothing to offer, whenever my enthusiastic and knowledgeable boys rattle off these (and a thousand more) tidbits, my part of the conversation sounds a lot like, “Wow!”, “Interesting!”, “Oh, ya?”, “What do you think will happen next?, “That’s nice.”, etc., and yet, during this education process, my husband and I have also become fans by osmosis through the infectious love of our children for the sport and “our” team.

Does a reluctant 2 year commitment to the team make me a “bandwagon” kind of fan? Maybe, but I’ve been wondering: does that really matter?

The fact is that just like when our kids get excited and invested in something, when our nation feels pride in an achievement or possibility and that commonality unites and benefits the whole, there’s nothing wrong with jumping on board too, even if someone has to give your hesitant butt a boost.

While I might not love everything about professional basketball culture, I recognize that while many parents are concerned about how much time their kids are spending staring at screens- my biggest problem is that we’re spending a small fortune on shoes because my boys are literally burning through the bottom of theirs from so many hours on the court.

(Well, that and the fact that my previously spacious driveway now has nets positioned dead-centre at either end, virtually creating an obstacle course every time I take the Swagger Wagon out.)

In addition to the fact that our homes and country are unified when we invest in what our kids care about and support our homes teams, the growth of basketball in Canada, fueled by “We the North” Raptors Mania, has inspired kids to spend more time being active. Fan or not, that’s something we should all be getting behind.

I still don’t know everything there is to know about the goings on in the NBA: I won’t be memorizing all the stats, players come and go, I don’t really care about next season’s projections, etc., but I’ll tell you this:

Last week as we gathered with a group of families to watch the game I was reminded again of why I am all for #WeTheNorth. (When most people have overwhelmingly put their money down on the Warriors.) There were toddlers in Raptors jerseys shooting on Lil Tykes nets, teenagers biting their nails, and adults gasping and cheering in unison while we all refilled our plates potluck-style and rooted for the only Canadian team in the NBA to move one step closer to winning their first Championship (something that will be all the sweeter when they do it on Canadian soil Monday night).

It was beautiful.

If you’ve been considering getting in on the action, don’t worry about being branded a “bandwagon” fan”.

Instead, remember that it’s never too late to show your children or your home team that you care about what they care about and get on board. Better a bandwagon than no wagon at all, even if it’s mostly just in solidarity with kids and country.

Also, you’re going to wish you had when the Raptors win.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.

by Katie Neustaeter

NEUSTAETER: Written By The Most Reluctant Raptors Fan

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