I Love Basketball

No other sport will mean so much to me as basketball will. Every time I step on the court, I lose myself and become a whole other person. When I hear my name yelled in the crowd, I get an adrenaline rush to my brain, causing me to swiftly move quicker and focus on the game. Deep down I know that I am not here to win the game, but to enjoy myself. Each basket I make are like my worries trapped into the ball, and then expelled when it goes into the basket. This game is where my mind gets lost in the sounds of the dribbles. When the game is over, I look back to my team and give them warming hugs knowing that the game is over, and we will not stop playing the sport because there is always time to get better. Although I frantically wash my jerseys the nights before games, and leave my stinky shoes in my car all season, I would not trade pulling a jersey over my head every Friday night, dancing to blaring music in the locker room, and lacing up my shoe for the world. It means a lot more to me knowing that it is more than just a game. While I know I am having fun with my best friends and some of the greatest mentors that I have, I know that I am learning true values of life, which will make me become a better

Basketball holds great meaning to me because of how long i have been playing the sport and the people around me that know the game. i feel like if i didn't have the people i have today with my i wouldn't even play basketball. The sport is great and i cant get enough of it and that is why it mens so much to me.

I began to play organized basketball in 5th grade and have continued all the way through my senior year. Throughout my career I have grown tremendously each year, earning several improvement awards along the way. I had always struggled to assume my role on the team, but throughout my senior high career I learned how I best contributed to my team, earning several hustle awards and assist awards. I have learned through athletics how to be team player, and understand that not every player has the same role, which is also related to everyday life and life in the

Learning the game of basketball has changed my life for the better. As a little girl, my father believed that I would be an incredible athlete. As soon as I could shoot a basketball, my dad took me to a park to develop my skills. Practicing constantly led me to fall in love with the sport. Basketball became more than just a game, it became a passion. Pursuing this passion has been rewarding, inspiring, and empowering.

I was only in first grade when I picked up a basketball for the first time. I had observed my father, my brother, and my cousins all play it before me. Little did I know that the sport would lead me to new opportunities, incredible friends, and numerous championships.

When I was younger, basketball was all I wanted to play, it just looked like so much fun. In fifth grade I had my parents sign me up for CYB, then in sixth grade I tried out for middle school basketball and played all the way up until ninth grade. In middle school when I was in eighth grade I was awarded the captain position and that helped me build leadership and responsibility. All of the players especially the younger ones knew they could always come to me at any time if they needed anything or help with anything. High school basketball was a lot different than middle school. In middle school I was one of the star players so I played a lot but in high school that changed. I sat the bench a lot that taught me patience and understanding even

“Are you interested in this?” , my dad asks multiple times about multiple sports. I as a four year old just learning about sports, and watching them with my family decide that basketball is for me. So I go on to rec league… I learn how to dribble, pass, and shoot. Time passes and by middle school I can shoot left-handed layups, cross-over behind my back and in between my legs. High school is here.. and I become even more advanced not just with fundamentals, but mentally, and even more aggressively, and physical. I have a purpose, I love the game, and I want to play it as long as I can.

My entire life, I have lived and breathed basketball. When I was only three days old, I was being passed around in the stands of a basketball game while my parents coached my older sister. In first grade, I was begging my parents to let me play. I couldn’t, however, because in my town kids don’t start playing basketball until the third grade. They let me join an Upward basketball league that was near my area, but Upward wasn’t competitive enough for me. So the next year, I went a couple towns over to join their city league so I could play. From then on, basketball was my passion.

It just seems like it would be natural for me to begin playing organized basketball at an early age, but I did not other than the rough and tumble playground ball at recess. I began to yearn to play on a real team, and soon I would have my chance. It was the summer before the sixth grade, and I managed to talk my father into purchasing me a basketball and my mother into purchasing the rim. We put the rim up onto the shed and I began practicing.

When I look back to as far as I can remember I don’t remember my class schedules, the friends I played tag with, or the best lunches at school, but what I do remember is playing basketball and the joy it brought me to play and win. Basketball is the thing that keeps me moving day to day. Without basketball I probably wouldn’t have opportunities to travel off island to experience college visits as well as challenging better teams around the country. Basketball is more than a sport, it teaches you life lessons and how to overcome things that

Basketball has always been something I loved ever since I was a little girl. I remember when I was younger, we had a basketball hoop in my driveway and my brothers and I would always go out and play one on one or horse. I also remember losing, a lot. Although it wasn’t about winning or losing for me, I just loved the game. In fourth grade, I started playing competitive basketball and loved the sport even more. Maybe it was scoring points or getting an assist, I’m not really sure the reason, I just knew I loved the game. As I got older my love for the game only grew; until high school hit.

Stephen Curry, point guard for the Golden State Warriors, said about basketball, “What I tell people is to be the best version of yourself in anything that you do. You don’t need to live someone else’s story. It doesn’t matter where you come from – what you have, or don’t have, what you lack, what you have too much of – but all you need to have is faith in God, an undying passion for what you do, or what you choose to do in this life, and a relentless drive and the will to do whatever it takes to be successful in whatever you put your mind to.” Growing up I have always played basketball. It is like a haven for me considering whatever I am feeling, whether it is angry, somber, excited, etc. I can always play and depend on basketball. It makes me feel exceptional.

On any given sunny day, when flowers were blooming, and grass was growing, there was a game of basketball being played. I sat on my auntie’s porch watching the older teenagers and sometimes adults fearlessly tackle the game as if they were playing for the world championship or at least the national title. The only title gained was bragging rights for the rest of the day. Despite the horrible language, the twisted ankles, and sometimes busted lips, the players continued to show up daily to compete. Although I was a tad bit scrawny for my age, I desperately and eagerly wanted to join the game. I knew then I wanted to learn the sport, and it wasn’t long before I began to do so. Eventually, basketball became a passion as well as therapy for me. Every day, I dreamed of being the next Maya Moore or Skylar Diggins. Although that dream never came to be, my love of the sport continues. There are many players who agree that basketball helped them just by being on the team. Others swear that they learned to make better decisions in their lives because they played the sport as youths. Some experts even suggest that

Basketball is not just a sport, to me it is a lifestyle; there is something about shooting the orange sphere through the net and hearing that “swoosh” sound that can force any problem to instantly go away. Nothing can compare to the satisfaction that is felt when stepping onto the court or feeling the padded outer-layer of the ball clash with the tips of my fingers after bouncing up from the ground. The court is a second home to me. I have been playing basketball since I was eight years old. It seemed to come as second nature. Once I reached middle school, I competed for a spot on the seventh grade girls basketball team and earned myself a spot. Those girls meant everything to me. I can recall practices when we got off task and goofed around for a bit, but we always got back to work.

I have been in basketball since I was young, however, I did not play on a team until I was in fourth grade. I was dragged, into basketball because I was trying out new sports and I really liked it. Basketball helps me be more active and thrusts me to work as hard as I can. My brother plays basketball too, and we help each other out. When our team does well, we win medals or a trophy. My team has won both medals and trophies. This has been our first year ever getting first place in a few tournaments.