March Madness: Bonding a Family

Every year in March, millions of people around the country take time out of their busy schedules to make a bracket for the NCAA March Madness Tournament.

Many people, including myself, make pools with their families and friends. Money is usually on the line, and everyone is trying to make the best bracket to beat one’s family and friends.

“It’s a fun distraction from my busy daily life,” my sister, Kerry McKittrick, who works for a congressman in Washington D.C, said

Almost every year since my senior year in high school, I have organized a March Madness pool. I initially started the pool because my grandmother was sick with cancer, and it was a fun way to bring the family together during difficult times.

“The family pool was a really fun distraction from her treatment,” my mom reflected.

The pool was a hit from the start.

All of my aunts, uncles, and cousins joined the league, and everyone loved the constant playful jabbing in the emails.

“Your first pool was the best as it was the first time I had been in a pool that included all generations of our very close family,” my great uncle Peter Hoffman said. “I looked forward to your commentary along with the family banter.”

“It was really fun to compete with my three kids, parents, in-laws and cousins,” my mom added.

That year, my grandmother correctly picked an improbable upset of #15 seed Mercer over #2 seed Duke. Everyone was giving her a hard time for choosing Mercer in the beginning. However, when they actually did upset Duke, we were all stunned.

“Everyone in the family (and in the hospital) was talking and laughing about it,” my mom said.

Since I knew the most about basketball and ran the entire bracket, it was fitting that I finished in last place, right behind my 8-year-old cousins.

My mom won the pool that year, and she had bragging rights until she finished in last place the next year.

“I won that year and no one in the family gave me the respect I deserved,” my mom joked.

The pool continued the following years while adding more family and friends, and ultimately growing to upwards of 50 people this year.

Family members from Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania and all over the map continued to participate in my pool.

While I initially made the pool during a difficult time, it now serves as something that all of the family members look forward to every year.

“March Madness is the best sporting event of the year,” Hoffman said. “Having a pool just adds to the excitement.”

“I definitely look forward to the annual pool, even though I rarely watch college basketball at other times of the year, and I never win,” Kerry McKittrick added.

Last year, I did not make the family pool because I was in Florence, Italy studying abroad. But at every family gathering, people would ask me, “Are you doing the pool next year?" Or “I can’t wait for your pool!”

When I returned to the United States from studying abroad in Italy, things in the country had changed. The political campaign was in full gear and there was an increase in anger for both sides of the political spectrum.

But this March, like every other March, people put politics aside for a moment and enjoyed the tournament.

“This year's pool was especially exciting as Aunt Carol was in it until the last minute,” Hoffman said about his wife. “She was excited and nervous which made her understand how I am when I watch an important game in which I have a rooting interest.”

Like every other year, there was the playful family banter in the emails about who was going to win.

“I look forward to new emails, to laughing at family trash talk, and to connecting with family members I may only see once a year," my sister said.

Our cocky cousin, Chris Alexander, unfortunately won this year. His brother won the pool last year, and he let everyone in the group know it.

“The Alexander reign continues,” Alexander gloated. “How many in a row is considered a dynasty?”

For some people, the March Madness tournament is fun because of the intense, close games. But for my family, it’s a time where everyone can connect through an activity that everyone enjoys: watching basketball.

“I love connecting on email with multigenerational relatives from both sides of our family who live around the country,” my mom said. “Everyone bonds around basketball.”

Although I felt a sense of sadness as the March Madness tournament ended on Monday night, with UNC beating Gonzaga, I think everyone appreciated the timing of the tournament, given everything else that has been going on in the world.

“In these trying times in the world, and especially politically in this country, it was a great diversion for people,” Hoffman said.

“In our family, we have Republicans, Democrats, Independents and everything in between,” my mom added. “During March Madness, we connect, compete, laugh, and bond over basketball.”