I started playing basketball in fourth grade because my mom signed me up. In the beginning, it was simply an after-school activity. We learned the basics: dribbling, passing, shooting, and defense. It was good exercise, and I made new friends. Five years later, it’s more than an after-school activity. My coaches have become my role models, my teammates have become my family, and the game has become a lesson.

Along with improving my skill set, I’ve learned confidence, humility, patience, attitude, and respect. One of the most important lessons I’ve been taught is that the attitude and confidence you go in with affects what you come out with. To me, this means you get the opportunity to decide if you’re going to set yourself up for success or failure. This is why I always make sure to be in a good, focused mood before every game or practice. Along with this, a coach once told me that looking in the rearview mirror slows you down. This means that getting angry at yourself and getting into your own head makes things worse. If I’m losing a game and shots won't fall, I mentally turn it around. I tell myself to not worry about the mistake and move on and think about the next play. If I were to continue to think about the things I did wrong, I would continue to not play my best. Me being in the game mentally isn’t just important for myself, but for the whole team because it can affect the outcome.

Along with building myself up to be better for me, I need to remember that I’m part of a team, and my wants and needs don’t come before anyone else’s on the team. Between not being a ball-hog, and constantly giving 100%, I can always find a way to help the team. Something that really bothers me is when a teammate doesn’t pull their weight. Selflessness is important to me, so I also expect everyone else to feel the same way. The best teams aren’t the ones with one or two-star players, but the ones that work as a unit. In order to be a good, functioning team, everybody needs to work on both sides of the court. Offensively, that means everyone is shooting, rebounding, and moving. Defensively, that means everyone is playing their hardest and helping out if a teammate gets beat. Basketball aside, I can also be a teammate. I try to be inclusive and take part in group projects in school. At home, I help out and remember to be considerate of the other people I live with by keeping things clean and doing what my parents tell me.

Basketball, like anything, isn't always a constant win. Sometimes I’ll go months without seeing any improvement, which is really frustrating. Or sometimes my team is going through a losing streak, and it feels like we can’t win a game. I know how important it is to be patient and to work hard. I can’t just expect to get better from my three hours of team practice each week, I need to put in the time and effort on my own. This applies to real life because you can’t expect things to just come; you need to work for them. Grades, money, and relationships, are all things that if you want them you have to work for them.

Sure, I love the cool sneakers and pizza parties, but basketball has really taught me so many things that not only make me a better player but a better person.

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