A Message From Mom

The following post is from Tony's mother, Kelli Watson.


I can remember it like it was yesterday…. Ten boys on the court, all 5 yrs old, for their very first organized basketball game ever…. After the jump, the ball was tipped into the other side of the court… my son, Tony “T-II” Watson, grabbed the ball and made a fast break to the opposite end of the court and straight to the basket…after an easy lay up and 2 points the crowd was going crazy!!! The other team looked stunned… But, unfortunately, the rule at the YMCA in 1995 was “No Fast Breaks” in that age division and the ball was called back… but I knew at that moment, that he was going to be something special and also fun to watch!  

Year after year, season after season, I enjoyed watching him play and never missed a game… I was his biggest fan, with team colors on, yelling encouraging words and sometimes not so nice things to the opposition… All through Rec ball, Middle School, Travel ball, and High School I never tired of watching him play, and would get just as excited and pumped on game day as the team would…. I even had a stint as “scorekeeper” once, but had to give up the job, because I couldn’t cheer, yell, and clap like I wanted to at the scorers table! The excitement of being there in the gym, witnessing proud moment after proud moment, would be something that I would never change in the world… It was our family’s lifestyle and there was no other way to live in our world…

So, fast forward to 2009… after numerous teams, games and seasons so many years of living the life as a FAN of my child, who was now going away (and I mean 8 states away) to play ball in college  was a huge transition for me…. Since I didn’t own an airline, and UB wasn’t conveniently located down the street I knew I would have a hard time not being there for each and every game… It’s too bad that games aren’t broadcasted on TV in the state of Florida….Thank goodness we have the internet, text messaging and multi-media because each and every game I am able to still put my game gear on, grab some snacks and glue myself to my lap top! Even when UB is playing away, I pay for access to watch the games…. I don’t want to miss a thing!  

I’m still his biggest fan…. Just 8 states away…. People always ask me, who is your favorite team? And I’m proud to say that I am a UB Bull now…. TRUE BLUE!!! I love how the community embraces our Team, I love how the student body supports our Team, and I love how the Faculty encourages our Team!!! Count me in as one of the BIGGEST FANS STILL…. And I’m sure if you listen real close on game day, you can hear me cheering all the way from FLORIDA!