Growing up, I was told that my height would fit to be a basketball player. But I had never actually considered joining a real team. Until September 12 when I went to try out for the ladies JV basketball team.

   When I first started, it was challenging because I couldn’t dribble the ball correctly. I improved by practicing for four hours every day with the team. I learned that muscle memory helps you play because you are aware of what is going on and comprehend what you are doing.

   The first week of practice we would stretch as a team and wait on the coach who would try to make his tryouts manageable. We would first start with “stationary dribbling drills.” These drills help develop hand-eye coordination and get ballers warmed up to play.

    Since I had this bad habit of not dribbling the ball when playing against my teammates, this helped me improve and change my bad habit. Some of the dribbles we would do were one ball-pound dribble, side to side, front to back, dribble circles, one leg, figures c, one hand, and both hands. Coach George would often lose patience when we repeatedly made mistakes, but repetition is the key to basketball.

    Two things the coach did not like was not pounding the ball and having our knees down when we were doing these drills. “If you’re scared of the ball maybe this sport isn’t for you,” he said. The point of these drills is to practice on the move against defenders.

   Tryouts were challenging but also enjoyable. As the weeks went, there was a lot to learn. The worst was when it rained since we couldn’t use the court, but we still practiced in the school parking lot. Coach George was quite patient with us and would walk me through each step if I didn’t understand how to play as well as the other girls.

   To me the most difficult aspects of basketball were “working hard”, “pushing yourself,” and catching up to the more experienced players. I struggled to concentrate and dribble. Shooting was enjoyable, but everything else needed persistence and timing. When I sat on the sidelines and did nothing but watch, I picked up a lot of knowledge.

   However, Coach George would tell us to run if the team made a mistake over and over. Running helped me feel active, but occasionally it got to be excessive. We couldn’t get water until the conclusion of practice or when he called break. At the end of the day, I found it to be exhausting. My body would hurt, but it was good for my body to stay in shape

    I think basketball really changes you as a person and my experience was memorable.  I was able to increase my endurance, flexibility, and coordination thanks to playing basketball. Additionally, it promoted power, quickness, and agility. These abilities positively influenceD my body weight and promoted physical exercise, which boosted my self-esteem a little bit. I enjoyed playing, having a team, and disengaging from the outer world. I believe that having fun while playing basketball is just as vital as paying attention.

     In the end, I was unable to keep playing for the team because of personal issues and had to leave. But I continue to play alone in my backyard and follow everything Coach George instructed me to do. I also even sometimes look on YouTube and find drills to practice.