Former First Lady Michelle Obama is reflecting on one of her most cherished memories with her husband, former President Barack Obama.
The couple — married for thirty-two years and famously under the public microscope — have weathered everything from political scrutiny to internet-fueled speculation about their relationship. But, in a recent interview with Lewis Howes posted on Friday, Michelle offered a refreshingly down-to-earth glimpse into their life, centered on a memory that still brings a smile.
As hands-on parents to daughters Sasha and Malia, the Obamas were deeply involved in their children’s lives. One such moment? When Barack stepped into the role of coach for Sasha’s fourth-grade basketball team, the Vipers.
“One of the best stories about my husband is that he coached Sasha’s 4th grade basketball league, the Vipers,” Michelle shared.
She explained that the team played at a local YMCA in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and Barack wasn’t the original coach. But it didn’t take long for him to take notice of the coaching — or lack thereof.
Adding to the Vipers’ all-star roster was Maisy Biden, granddaughter of then-Vice President Joe Biden. The gym, as Michelle recalled, became quite the spectacle, complete with a presidential entourage of Secret Service agents flanking the bleachers.
“And of course they’re still yelling, ‘Basketball Maisy,’” Michelle joked in reference to Biden, after saying that she also told her husband to calm his excitement down.
The original coaches, she admitted, were not exactly seasoned professionals. Their inexperience became apparent by the team’s second game. That’s when Barack started “sliding down to the coach’s bench” and unofficially began “side-coaching.”
“Eventually he starts offering to run practice for the Vipers,” she said. “So, they come to one of the downtown gyms in the Department of Agriculture, every week they’re coaching the Vipers.”
What began as quite an assist from the sidelines turned into a full-fledged coaching role. And, according to Michelle, that extra effort paid off. The Vipers won their championship, thanks in part to a very determined dad on the bench.