So here's a lovely thing - on the court at the local park every now and again a net appears on one of the basketball hoops.

Always thought it was weird that the council only does one.

Turns out they don't...

So I'm shooting (and missing) some hoops this morning and the net's looking ragged as. Hanging on by a frayed thread so it is. Tbh they don't last that long - a week, maybe two until they're either pulled down by an over-confident NBA impressionist or just wear out. Still, it's..

..nice to have it there as it's easier to see when the ball goes through the hoop (yes I'm old shut up) and you don't have to chase around like a mad thing as much when it clatters off the inside of the hoop. Basically, nets are good.

So I'm shooting, it's quite early so no-one's about and I see an athletic looking teen and a bloke with a ladder. They come on to the court and ask me if I can stop for a few minutes to 'sort this out'. I've no idea what they're on about and I'm knackered so I tell then yep...

The bloke pulls a b ball net from his back pocket gets up the ladder and attaches it to the hoop.

Turns out he's been doing this ever since the court opened a couple of years back.

I talk to the teen and he's won a basketball scholarship to the states and his dad comes up every week or so to replace the nets because he wants the lad to have a proper place to practice and thinks that nets are essential (which they kind of are). He leaves them up for everyone

because 'he wants everyone to have a good go and maybe they'll get to liking it like (name of lad here)'. It all comes out of his own pocket but he says it's the least he can do given they built a court for everyone.

He's going to start trying those chain nets soon because...

...they last longer.

I told them thanks for doing that and got off the court to let the lad practice. He's incredible.

I think it's because of the net.