Basketball

When I started playing basketball in middle school, I became suddenly obsessed and competitive. I really don’t know where the desire and determination originated. It became  a life long companion when I felt lost.

Unfortunately, I cared more about my performance than I did about my teammates. My developing brain didn’t comprehend that I was hurting the team dynamics because I was stuck in my own head. I don’t remember having couches who encouraged team work. Instead they focused on drills and exercises, which granted skills and improved athleticism with little comradery. 

Additionally, I had an awkward stage in middle school. My elementary friends simply abandon me as I crossed into my early teen years. As a lost child, I could have used coaches who recognized my insecurities masked behind my athletic showmanship.

Basketball has continued to be my therapy. I can be on a court, away from it all, and feel like my true self. Even if I stepped away from the court and lost my aim, I loved returning to find it again.

I am overjoyed that female basketball is gaining more notoriety due to Caitlin Clark’s discipline and character. I never really liked watching men’s basketball on TV. The game is different depending on what gender takes the court. I find myself entranced in woman’s basketball. I actually want to watch the games leading to the playoffs, know the stats of the players, and watch how the game changes over the next few years.