Personal Narrative: The Art Of Basketball

“Come on guys,” I yelled. I heard the screech of the referee’s whistle. Rushing to the bench, I heard the referee call out “Timeout, Heat.” Everything was on the line and our team’s championship hopes, being foremost on our team’s minds, was all coach could scream about. “I’m not going to tell you how to play basketball,” he yelled out. “That’s your job. I’m just going to say that right now, to us, this is a championship game. If we win this, we move on to the championship. If not, at least let us fall valiantly.” That got the whole team riled up as we rushed back onto the court. The crowd, encouraging as always, yelled out their approval on the fact that we were giving it our all. With just sixteen seconds left in the game and our team down by four, something special had to happen or we were done for the season.

The day was October 8th, 2014. I hardly played. One school day, my 5th teacher, Ms. Smit said, “flyers for the basketball team on the table” ordinarily I took one. Kids from 4th, 5th, and 6th grade came to try out for the team. After tryouts, a paper next to the nurse's office was hung up. The paper sheet named those who had made the team. Surprisingly, I made the team, most likely from my height. I felt like I shouldn’t have made the team. At the time, I barely started to play basketball. I went to the practices at school and tried to make myself a little bit better, since a tournament was about to begin in a few weeks.

“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.

Although I wasn’t the best on the team, whatever I put my mind to I was able to accomplish. On the day of the last game of the winter season, I made a bet with my dad that if I would score eight points in the game then I could get a puppy. My dad agreed without hesitation because I have never gotten close to scoring eight points. I was someone who would score once, maybe twice a game, but I still made it a goal for myself to score four times which seemed nearly impossible. She won’t win, my dad thought. It’s impossible, he thought. I believed in myself when no one else did. As the game started I knew what was on the line and I would do anything to be able to accomplish my goal. I knew that my strength was free throws, so getting fouled four times would grant me the eight chances I would need to score eight points. I followed through and got fouled exactly four times and made all eight of the free throws. I won the bet. I knew I was not the best player and I knew that it was going to be a challenge to get to where I wanted to be, but I did not let those factors become an obstacle that would prevent me from reaching my goal. I used my strength of free-throw shooting to get my puppy. After the game I was congratulated by everyone who knew about the bet. This included my teammates, my brothers, my mom, and my dad. My dad walked out of that gym with a new perspective of his daughter: someone who can

For a majority of people in the world, if they were to wake up with 350 million dollars, and would be able to be fully retired by 38 years old, then they would be very content and happy with their lives. Being able to wake up every day in a big mansion, lying with your family by the poolside, not worrying about financial issues for yourself or loved ones, and lastly having the great opportunity for you and your whole family, to not work a day the rest of your lives. It is an ideal situation that approximately 99.99% of people would want. But, an outlier, challenges those astonishing odds, by using their influence and popularity, to help out and make a difference. Not

Basketball has been the passion of my life since I was 4 years old. I've always had a competitiveness or desire to not lose. That's why my sophomore year of high school was the worst, but best year of my life. As a freshman I was on JV and had tremendous success. The next year I anticipated a starting varsity role. I couldn't wait, expecting a year even better than the last. All the success I had as a freshman didn't translate as smoothly.

The cool thing about humans, is no two are exactly the same, every one is different in their own way. We’re all defined in unique ways, some by their jobs, some by their livelihood, or interests such as basketball. This is one of my favorite things to do in life, there's just nothing better than setting foot on that court. When basketball season starts to roll around, memories from past years come flooding in. Being able to smell the freshly popped popcorn all throughout the gym. Looking up at the crowd and seeing everyone in the stands cheering us on, arguing with refs about a call, or not really paying attention to the game at all. The feeling I get when I’m on the court is second to nothing. This is where I go when I need need to just get away and think.

Basketball time. Halfway through the season. It was game night. I was nervous. I always got nervous for basketball games. So after school I’m getting all my stuff ready and I’m putting on my basketball uniform. I had to get fired up. So I listened to some Kanye West. Ok. I was ready. My mom drove me to my game. I put my bag in the locker room. I go out on the court and warm up with the other girls. I’m getting even more nervous. BUUZZZ. That’s the buzzer. Time to go bring it in. Our coach talks to us and tells us the play to run first. I wasn’t a starter or anything. So I sat on the bench waiting to go in. The jump ball had started. Our team got the ball. During half of the first quarter, Coach told me to go in. I went in. I did my part and I played ok.

An all time favorite activities of me to do and to watch is basketball. Basketball is something I relish because it's exciting and really affecting, I started playing when I was in fourth grade. When I became attentive in basketball it was because I was trying out sports that year and I determine I admired it and really, enjoying it. Basketball is something my dad, and my brother plays, too. My brother and I try to practice, and learn from each other when we both have the time to practice.

Rushing to the bench, I heard the referee call out “Timeout, Heat.” Everything was on the line with our team’s championship hopes foremost on our minds. As soon as we were all huddled up, Coach Drew began to lay out his expectations. “I’m not going to tell you how to play basketball,” he told us. “That’s your job. I’m just going to say that right now, to us, this is a championship game. If we win this, we move on to the championship. If not, at least let us fall valiantly.” We rushed back onto the court, riled up at the thought of our coach’s inspiring speech. The crowd, encouraging as always, chanted our names. With just sixteen seconds left in the game and our team down by four, we had no choice but to do something special.

This is about why i like the nba and why the phoenix suns are my favorite team in the NBA and how i got into basketball.

My basketball career was one to remember, I had a lot of coaches I liked and a handful I didn’t like. But one coach in particular, stuck with me because of one terrible game I had. I remember the day like it was yesterday, we were playing West aka the rich snobs of Billings. I didn’t play much in the first half but when I did play, it wasn’t up to his standards I guess. After making a great read on the defence I ended up turning the ball over. Imagine this, I had the ball at the top of the key, the defence in a 2-3 zone, I had a teammate on each side of me, spread out to perfection, and one man in front of me at the free throw line. I passfaked to my right and the defence jumped at it trying to steal the pass as this was happening, I tried to make a no look pass to the guy at the free throw line

Growing up I would always expect that life would be easy and basketball would be the key to success but in my case, my father would always be busy to even teach me how to dribble or shoot. I learned all of that myself and by watching him play. Even when I tried teaching myself and even thinking to myself that I was good enough,but I was never close to my father. Once in a while I would get my chance to play with him and I would always give it all. “Let's play one on one”, my father said. “lets go!, my ball first”, I replied with excitement. I would always do my best but I would never come close. the score would always be around 16-3.

“ No athlete is truly tested until they've stared an injury in the face” [unknown author]. Ever since I could remember basketball has been my favorite sport. I remember signing up for basketball in fifth grade, not really sure if I even wanted to play. My mom walking in with me telling me that I would be good at basketball if I just tried. She also said if I didn't like it that I didn't have to play anymore as long as I made a good effort. After I signed my name on that paper there was no turning back. The first practice was the worse for me I had my friends which wasn't bad but, I didn't know how to do anything. All my friends had been playing basketball since second or third grade so basketball came easy to them. I thought about quitting right then and there but I told myself I gotta keep trying even if I'm not that good. Forward a few years later in middle school I had the basics of basketball down pack and that's when I fell in love with the sport. I got the position I always wanted to play point guard, the point guard is one of the most important players on the team. It's also one of the most difficult positions because you have to come up with a play on the spot. You have to read what

The lights flicker on as I sit up lazily in my chair. I try to focus on the television screen as it goes black. I attempt to recollect my thoughts of what I had just seen. Then it came back to me, I was watching another one of those same cheesy videos about someone who had overcome failure to accomplish something great. I didn’t give the video any thought because all I could think about was the 8th-grade boy’s basketball tryouts after school. I was excited about the upcoming season and was eager to join the team. I watched and played basketball every day, so I felt confident in my ability to play the game the right way. As tryouts began I noticed the other kids playing extremely well so I exerted myself to step up my game and play their style.