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All together I have been on six basketball teams In my life. One, for a park In Long Beach, California, other times for the school teams, here in Illinois. 5th, 6th, and 8th grades, plus freshmen and senior years of highlights. From junior high through highlights I started to have issues with my coaches and the minutes of playing time that were given to me, so I quit the 8th and freshman year teams. Surely enough, quitting those two years would come to haunt me throughout my entire highlights career.
Since I was seven years old, I remember always going out to the park watching my Dad play basketball. Seeing him play so much, naturally got me Into wanting to be just like him, so he encouraged me to like basketball as much as him and began to teach me how to play. Eventually I grew to love the game. Soon after taking me out to play with him instead of simply watching him play, he signed me up for the local park’s basketball team. I don’t remember being very good at the time, but do remember loving every day of practice and playing every game.
After Just one year of playing basketball for the park, while during the start of 3rd grade, me and my family moved to West Frankfort, Illinois. My parents, being new to he area, knew nothing of upward basketball, which is a little league for local kids to play In, so I had to Walt until I got Into 5th grade. As soon as the principal made the announcement to my 5th grade class that we would all be able to Join the basketball team, I immediately went to my Dad to sign me up. Once again, I loved playing basketball even though I rarely got to play because of the team being consisted of 5th and 6th graders on the same team.
When 6th grade had come around. I had been practicing a lot with my dad over that summer and got a lot better. I was a starter who played point guard and center at the same time. That year was when I really grew a passion for basketball. In my first year of Junior hollyhock, I did not make the team. I had plenty of confidence in my skill, so I quickly turned to the thought that the coaches simply did not like me. The year after, tryouts began to be simply about having the stamina and will to push yourself through running drills and other physical challenges.
I fairly easily had made the 8th grade team. I played for about half of the season, receiving miniscule minutes, but always playing as hard as I could. Despite hustling throughout the whole season in games, and in practice, my minutes never changed wrought the season. Eventually I became so frustrated with the coaches not believing In my ability, so I ended up quitting the team. Finally I had made It to highlights, with high aspirations of making the team and being a starter again or at least a 6th man off the bench.
The tryouts for the freshman team consisted of physical challenges and of course tested a players ability with the ball In his hand. I made that team as well. My whole freshman year seemed to be Della v, In that everything that had happened the year before, was happening once again. Like in Junior high, I hustled throughout the whole year. From giving it all hat I had during practice got me to flourish and become one the best defensive so again, I quit the team after more than half of the season through.
After quitting two years in a row, it seemed as though I had messed up my chances to getting on the basketball team. Sophomore and Junior years, I never made the team despite trying my hardest and playing the best basketball I ever have at the time. Again, like in Junior high I began to assume the coaches didn’t like me. Eventually after those two years of not making the team, my love for basketball began to fade and I wondered if I should even try out for my senior year. Looking back now, I am very glad that I decided to try out for the team. I finally had made the basketball team again.
I’ve never smiled as much as I did the day I saw my name on the list of players who had made the team. I finally developed an k relationship with the coach that year so that I could rid myself of the thought that the coach didn’t play me because he simply didn’t like me. That year I finally got more chances to prove myself to the coach that I was better than he thought. I began to struggle in the beginning of the season, which destroyed my chances at becoming a starter later n the season. I became frustrated again with both, the coach again, and myself.
I thought about quitting again. All of my friends, outside of the basketball team, including my own family and girlfriend, kept telling me to Just quit the team and spend more time with all of them instead of going to games and sitting on the bench again. I decided I wasn’t going to quit the team and toughed out the whole season. Even though I never broke through whatever was holding me back from playing like I usually do at the parks basketball gym, and never got consistent time, I’m glad I cited to stick with it and finish the season.
It makes me feel somewhat accomplished to finish a whole season and do all of the activities on and off the court with the team. Basketball really thought me important life lessons throughout highlights. Never give up what you love no matter how much pain you go through or how many people tell you to Just give it up and move on. It also taught me to Just keep going after my goals in life, and that eventually, I will either achieve it, or at the very least get a taste of how it feels to know that I tried my hardest going after my goals.