Afterschool Practice
It was a beautiful day in the spring of 2024. The school day had just ended, but my journey towards becoming part of the basketball team had not yet begun. My friends and I waited in the cafeteria and anticipated our weekly practice. This was an important day because we were going to be awarded our jerseys. we headed toward the playground of our elementary school. Our coach, Mr. Steven was waiting there with a package of our new jerseys. He had a list of names and called us one by one. After a few names, I heard my name called, and I received jersey, No. 38. My attitude to the jersey was one of respect and deep admiration not for the superficial fabric or woven numerals, but the underlying purpose and future recognition.
It wasn’t just the day for jerseys. In two days, we would be competing against our rival team, Oakton Elementary School. I knew that I would be on the starting lineup, along with other of my friends. There was no room for mistake, as we had heard our rival was prepared and had practiced as much as we had.
I wasn’t the best at shooting back then, but my passing and dribbling skills were enough to keep the ball moving toward our opponent’s hoop. I wasn’t the best at showing external spirit, but a deep fire within me burned bright—bright enough to motivate the team through passion.
Once you know what failure feels like, determination chases success.
KOBE BRYANT
The Day of the Game
I had just arrived, and my teammates were relieved that I had, for our rival team had twice as many players as we had. We huddled up around our coach, where he announced the situation. The starting lineup that I was in had to be on the court three times in total, while other lineups only had to be on the court twice. I knew that the game would be tough, but I knew that with enough sweat, my defense could keep our basket clear of shots.
I think of the first few points as learning opportunities and ones for us to adapt. It is important to find key players and common routes, so when I identified an opponent worthy of attention, I quickly swapped positions with my teammate. It is important to understand everyone of the court—even the adversaries.
After the first quarter, me and my lineup got swapped off to give all other players a chance to play. It was hard to watch—but with our lineup being swapped off—our rival started to gain an edge. Thankfully, our coach noticed this and immediately sent us back to the court. This was a huge change, and the other team wasn’t looking that excited. When I made a layup and multiple other points with the assistance of my friends, we pulled ahead with a solid lead—enough for us to be swapped off again—in order for the other peers to have a chance at playing. Elementary school is not exactly competitive, but I knew that excuses would not ease the pain of loss.
Just as the third quarter was ending, my last chance at playing came up. The game was close, close enough for any unsuspecting team to get trampled. I knew that this last quarter would require the mot caution and flawlessness to secure the win. The other team was no deficient of energy, they always rushed up the court and made sure to tighten the gap. To ensure that we would not disappoint our school—and more importantly—establishing a respectable legacy. The first lineup and I finished the game with a solid 20 points lead. This victory was celebrated by the cheerleaders and parents on the Churchill side. This has also been one of my best experiences at Churchill and the last basketball game at Churchill, as I would soon graduate and start middle school at Cooper.
