My hero, Basketball.







I first started playing Basketball in November of 2008 school year. Almost one year ago. Basketball has honestly changed my life for the better. I remember the feeling I got when I first look at the posted list after the last tryouts, it seemed like my fate depended on if my name was mentioned on what that piece of paper said. As I came closer to reading what it said I began to prepare myself for disappointment. When I looked up and saw my name, the feeling, trying to describe it, is close to impossible.





The first game, or better known as the worst game I ever played, was another indescribable feeling. I felt lucky, invincible, important, overwhelmed, part of something. Take a minute, read my story, let me explain how I came across basketball, my hero.





I first heard about Basketball tryouts in 8th grade. I tried-out hoping to make the team with Mr. Arrington. Of course I wasn’t a natural right off the bat, as they say: Practice make’s perfect. I didn’t make the team that year, but Mr. A told me what to work on and to tryout the following year at Kentlake High School . I practiced all summer and did just what he said to do. By the time basketball tryouts came around, I wasn’t planning to tryout. I wouldn’t of if it wasn’t for my best friend Shanyce. She wanted me to tryout with her, little did I know she wasn’t able to because she didn’t have her physical in time. She went to tryouts but wasn’t able to play.





I ended up showing up the last tryout. Coach Kaas must have seen potential in me because he chose me to play on Freshmen Team along will eleven other girl’s I later became friends with. It was funny because when I saw my name on the list, I actually checked twice because I didn’t believe it, the first thing I did was call all my friends, family, everyone.





The next week we were to get out jerseys, I wanted the number 29, but at the same time I didn’t care what my number was. I was just excited that I was getting a jersey with my own number. I remember what Coach said to us our first game, “You don’t play for you now, you play for this team, this school. Its not your last name on the back of that jersey.” Those words stuck with me. He was right, this wasn’t an after school pick up game with the friends. Even though from time to time I let the feeling of wearing that jersey go to my head. Cockiness or confidence, for once I had both.





Our first game was time to prove ourselves. Prove we could do this, not only to Coach, or to our team mates on C-Team, JV or Varsity or the people that came to cheer us on. This was our time to prove it to ourselves, everything we worked on. We didn’t end up winning our first game, but I believe we did play our hearts out. Basketball continued to make an impact, it brought my family closer together, it helped me make new friends, find confidence I never knew I had, and even helped me get my grades up. I plan to tryout for Lady Falcons this year too. This time, I’m back and bringing the drive to win because I want it.