A New Basketball Goal
As Easy as 1 2 3
The kids wanted a basketball goal. The goals they have now, movable and height adjustable that you see in yards all around here did not exist at the time or at least I don’t recall seeing one back then.
You basically had the choice between a straight steel pole and one that was offset so that the players could do layups, etc. with less risk of running into the pole. I opted for that one and a nice new composite backboard, new goal and new net. I guess you could say that I went all out! It seems to me that this all came from K-Mart.
I got all this stuff home and we decided to place it to the left of the parking pad. I always regretted the location because the basketball kept hitting the clothes dryer vent and mashing it flat. But, the kids and their friends got our money’s worth and many, many, shots were taken at that goal, once it was up.
The 1st step was to dig a hole for the post and mount the post in concrete. This took a day or two to adequately set up.
It looked somewhat like the drawing here. Step #1 is complete.
It came time to attach the backboard to the post. This was a little tricky. I did not have a step ladder tall enough and standing on a step ladder holding the heavy backboard by myself was near impossible and dangerous. Then I had a great idea. I would use my extension ladder and I came up with a way to prop up the ladder against the post securely in a way that it could not fall. By simply hooking the ladder over the post, it would be secure while I attached the backboard. So that is what I did. Our basketball goal was closer to reality!
It looked a lot like this drawing.
Wade and Phil were doing something and they walked by as I was lifting the backboard into place to bolt it up. Phil casually asked, “How will you get the ladder down when you are through?” I did not bother to look around to answer such a “stupid” question. “I’ll just let the ladder down when I’m done”, I replied. I proceeded to attach the backboard to the post and the goal was installed. It was looking great. Step #2 is complete.
I got down to admire my work. Then I realized something did not look right.
I saw what Phil had seen. Our brand new basketball goal had an aluminum extension ladder permanently propped up around the post. With the backboard attached, there was no way to move the ladder! The good news was that anyone of any height and ability could now slam dunk on our new goal.All a person had to do was climb up the ladder and drop the ball in with the secure feeling that the ladder would not fall!
I then began Step #3. Removing the goal and backboard, removing the ladder, and reattaching it all. In time we had a basketball goal that served us well until we sold the house! Did I say, I had to eat a piece of “humble pie”, too.?
© 8/18/2014 JC