I’d like to share with you one of the highlights of this year’s Girls Varsity Basketball Team season. The last game of the season was held at Malibu High School. We were playing against one of the top teams in the league. Our previous game against them was nothing less than a “slaughter.” Someone mentioned they beat us by more than 50 points. Nonetheless, our girls didn’t let that stop them. They played an awesome last game of the season. There were exceptional plays throughout the game.
One highlight is worth sharing with our Malibu community. One team player, Deseriee Edman (a senior and this year’s MHS homecoming queen, and my daughter) played a sport for the first time during her four years at MHS. She was the shortest one on the team, standing at 5 feet, 3 inches tall and she didn’t get much play time during the season. Deseriee sat on the bench most of the time but held onto one goal, to score at least one basket in the season. This was the last game of the season and there were five minutes left. All of us there to cheer her on were saddened to see she probably wouldn’t get another chance.
Then the unexpected! Coach Meyers put Deseriee in the game. We were all so excited! I remember those last few minutes and how team captain Danielle kept looking for Deseriee to give her a shot. I was so touched by Danielle and the whole team. They didn’t have to do that.
And yet they did! In spite of it possibly costing them more points, they all had one goal in mind. With only two minutes left in the game, Deseriee got the pass and went for the shot. The auditorium was in an uproar. And then the “awwww.” She didn’t make it. We were all disappointed and then screaming when Deseriee got the rebound. “Shoot it, shoot it again!” Deseriee said she told herself to wait for the other girl to come down from her jump and then she shot it. We were all in suspense and couldn’t stop screaming again when the shot went in! She made the shot!
The whole gym was screaming and stomping, the team ran, hugged and huddled around Deseriee. Coach Meyers was tearing, like many of us in the stands and the other team had this look of “what?” They didn’t understand what was happening. We were losing! And yet you would’ve thought we won the Super Bowl or the NBA Championship. For at least another three minutes we were all screaming in elation even when the game was over and we had clearly lost the game.
As one parent put it, “That was the best moment of the season!”
Coach Meyers weeks later was still saying how everyone was still talking about it.
My point to Malibu is that this wasn’t just about Deseriee making her shot. This was a testament to Malibu High School-its coaches, teachers, parents and students. It was about the unity, spirit and community that emanates from MHS. Our sincerest thanks to our principal, staff, teachers and coaches for your dedication, long hard hours and the time and attention you give to our students individually and as a whole.
The Girls Basketball Varsity and JV teams got together to celebrate a wonderful season. And though we didn’t bring home the League Trophy we accomplished even more by teaching our girls to be a team, to grow as players, to grow as individuals and to celebrate small accomplishments together, whether in victory or defeat.
Carmen Edman