Coffeehouse #2

Going back to about the 5th grade, I remember a time all my friends and myself were excited on making the basketball team. I had played basketball for fun but never took it too serious. The day of the tryout arrive and I believe I am playing good but it was clear that was not the case. I was one of the select few people that did not make the team. I watched in anguish as the rest of my peers celebrated making the team. It was one of my earliest experience of heart break that I ever experienced. This caused my confidence to become low an d not want to play basketball again. Every time the team would play and lose I would unknowingly feel a sense of satisfaction because I was not on the team. Which was a petty thing to do but I guess it was my way of coping with the disappointment. The following year I am now in middle school and I am taking basketball more serious. I am playing almost everyday and watching tutorial videos to learn the game more. In March of 6th grade there was tryout for the basketball team. Although i thought i was prepared I feared of not making the team so I cowardly did not go to tryouts. I regret making this decision. As my friends talked about the tournament I was forced to not talk about the topic because I could not relate. The summer going into the 7th grade I played basketball as much as I ever did. Almost everyday I was playing pick up games in the parks. I was volunteering to play all types of age groups. I felt and saw myself become better each week. I was very proud of myself. Basketball had grown on me and I fell in love with the sport. I watched how slowly I became better than or on the same level of my peers in the span of 2 months. My 7th grade year I joined a professional 14u team where my skills were developed and learned the game even more. Also, 7th grade tryouts came around for my school and this time I made sure I attended. This time around the drills were easier and I did exceptionally well during the scrimmages. I was prepared, I took the game serious now, and my confidence sky rocketed. I was placed on a team in the 7th grade tournament. I felt accomplished and proud of myself. This accolade boosted myself esteem and made me more happy at the time. During the game I scored about 9 points and at that time that was a lot. My friends was impressed sed with how my performance increased throughout a short period of time. I was not surprised at all because I knew how much work and training I had put in. But my journey did not stop there. I continued to play basketball, watch basketball, and learn more about basketball. I played basketball the rest of my middle school years and high school years. Without basketball I don’t know where my life would have went. It is still crazy to think with my first experience from basketball came from heartbreak to not making the team in 5th grade. To using that pain to become the best player I can be. This goes to show if you really want something it can be achieved with hard work, determination, and belief. Whenever I feel like I can not achieve something I think back to the sad kid in 5th grade and realize there is nothing in this world I can not accomplish.

Dawson Lockhart