March Madness

Tomorrow I leave for the Regional 1A basketball tournament in Kotzebue. There will be 3 flights transporting our principal, our on site activities director as well as both teams and coaches to the tourney.  That is a total of 19 (Check that – 17, two boys decided turning in homework was too much to ask for) people gone from the school. Anywhere else, missing 17 staff and students might not be such a big hit to school attendance. Up here, that’s a lot of us gone.

But it’s not only the players and staff that will be traveling to Kotzebue. As I understand, friends and family turn out in droves for this culmination of the basketball season. Bering Air and Ravn will help facilitate the emptying and re-populating of each village in the Northwest Arctic. By some estimates, the population of Kivalina is expected to be cut in half for the week. Much of the same is to be expected around the region.

Yes, for the rest of the week.

I will fly out on one of three team flights tomorrow and am not scheduled to return until Sunday morning, March 6^th. I have made my lesson plans and filled out my desktop daily planner. Someone will be in charge of the SweatHogs in my absence. I wish them well.

I look forward to a reprieve from the daily grind. I am excited to be a part of the Circus that is “Regionals”. We will be sleeping in classrooms, emptying out during the day and either watching or playing ball for hopefully, the better part of 4 days. Each school will be responsible for maintaining a few assigned shifts in concessions but will reap the benefits of those shifts by sharing in a portion of the profits.

We have a favorable first round draw against the #2 seeded Wolves of Selawik. They were our opponents just last weekend and barely survived the contest, beating us by only ONE POINT on Saturday afternoon. I would love nothing more than to serve up a first round upset compliments of the Qavviks.

I’ve learned first hand that Basketball is King in Alaska. Starting tomorrow, academics and testing will take a back seat while children battle for supremacy on the hardwood courts of Kotz. I’m excited to experience what others have described as pure emotion and crowded chaos. I’m excited for a chance to see “old” friends and make new memories.

Do I wish that I were with Logan and the boys back home, attending the Minnesota State Hockey Tournament? You’re damn right I do…but for now – this type of March Madness will have to do.

BTW – this evening I celebrated Leap Day by picking out seats online for my May flights to my real home. For now, February is gone – I March onward.