In 7th grade, I kept the bench warm

It's one of those gray and misty afternoons that often have me reminiscing and digging through the old photo boxes.  Today - it's my 7th grade team basketball photo that got pulled out.  With their married names in parentheses if I know them, they are as follows.... (and the spelling is only as good as my 7th grade self remembers)

Top Row: Debbie Gregorich, Carrie Erkilla (Huuki), Tina Allen, Jenny Baranowski, Linda Frankovich, Lisa Gelleto. 
Middle Row: Me, Liza Locatelli (Somero), Karla Parks (Juntti), Lynn McKinstry, Rhea Kauppila (Johnson), Mary Yoe, Peggy Gasparich (Waara)
Bottom Row: Coach Heltunen, Sherry Suhonen, Jodi Pearce, Mari Kastomo (Hill), Kari Pennala (Therrian), Cathy Djerf and Julie Winsquit - okay, it's really Winquist, but I have a hard time letting go of old jokes.

I didn't play much.
I'm quite positive that it had to do with the fact that I babysat the coaches kids, and he had to try real hard then not to let anyone know I was his favorite. It had nothing at all to do with the fact that I was born completely lacking any assertive genes at all, and all my shots had this uncanny knack of circling around the rim and falling outside of it. 

I excelled at bench warming and got played when we were WAAAAY ahead.  Me and Julie Winsquit.

But I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the practice, I enjoyed being part of a team, I enjoyed the excitement of the games and even traveling as far as Baraga to play and I enjoy being able to pull out this picture and reminisce.

Random facts that come to mind -

• I've had sleepovers at at least 10 of their homes in my growing up years
• Four of them have received mail/Christmas cards from me in the past 12 months
• I could tell you where 15 of them lived that year
• Kari is my husband's first cousin
• Coach just retired this past spring
• Sherry was very fashion forward with her ankle socks
• Even though the photo is in b/w, I can tell you with certainty that the tube socks were all blue or blue and gray in color
• I remember that it was the game against Lake Linden that we came up with the cheer, "Our Team is Dynamite, our Team is Dynamite" complete with hand claps and foot stomping
• Three of us in that picture liked the same boy - but none of us ended up with him, but we all kissed him. Telling, isn't it.
• Feathered hair was in. Those were the Farah Fawcett years
• The photographer was funny

And now the sun is out - reminiscing over, time to go check out the Melon Festival......

Comments

[Julie H.]

And Wendy looks just like Kari.

[Auntie Barb]

My thoughts EXACTLY!! It's like mom & daughter on the same team. I love, really love your list of memories/thoughts that come to mind and that you are so good at expressing them. Big smiles from Auntie, here.

[Sharyn]

Wow. I don't know that I would have picked that out - but you're right. Even Brian just came over and said hey - it's Wendy! I made him point at who to clarify and sure 'nuff. He was just wondering when her hair was like that.

[Mom]

Lovin' your memories. Did all that kissing happen in 7th grade???

[Emily]

I was thinking the same thing about Wendy... Kari all over again! :)

[Sara-Jane]

Me too - I thought Kari must be you, as she looks so much like Wendy....

[Mary Rogers]

I totally picked you out!!! thanks for sharing, bringing back lots of memories for me. I skipped the basketball and went right into cheering - and will correct you because I am pretty sure the Munising Mustangs 7th grade cheer team came up with the cheer Our Team is Dynamite, our Team is Dynamite complete with hand claps and foot stomping, we also had a fabulous routine that we did to the J Giles band song "centerfold" and about gave our mother's heart attacks!!

[Lori]

Having no idea who this "coach" of yours is...I can fully agree with you that he probably didn't want to show any favoritism...:) And just to make you feel better, when I got to the 7th grade I was cut from the basketball team! We did have a different coach by then...hopefully your coach wouldn't have been so cruel!