My relationship with basketball. In the latter stages of elementary school, my dream was to be an NBA player. Some kids may say this, but are not serious. I was totally serious. From 4th grade to 7th grade I would dedicate 3 hours every day to practicing my dribble (left + right), post game, and outside game. Defensive drills were done with my dog as I worked on running backwards and laterally. Finally, when my dad would come home I would challenge him to a couple games of one on one. Every day. As I practiced, I visualized myself the star player for the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Every night I would study my folder of basketball cards, and to this day I can recite a lot of veteran NBA player statistics. Since my mom had cut off cable, I would listen to Chick Hearn describe every Lakers game. My mood ended up becoming a reflection of how the Lakers were playing. You have no idea how estatic I was when the Lakers won the 2000 championship. I have to admit, with those countless hours I became very confident and really good. By the time I reached 6th grade, I believed myself to be the best basketball player at my school (I'm pretty sure others would agree too). Eventually everyone else became taller and faster, and I became more and more dedicated to my studies. These days if I'm lucky, I will play 3 times a year. So, were all those countless hours dedicated to basketball worthless? NO NO NO.
Basketball has taught me many things, as I am sure sports has done for many people.
1) Practice and hard work is key to becoming better.
2) People who are flashy and offensively gifted are not always the people I want on my team.
3) Good things happen for teams with players who play their heart out.
4) A lot of facades fade away when playing...you get a real glimpse of how a person really is when you watch them play basketball.
5) Don't take things too seriously. You don't need to win every time.
Although I don't play basketball as much as I used to, I still enjoy watching and analyzing people play. This is why I will always be a basketball fan.
Current pursuits:
Running + Jiu-jitsu
Running is very personal. Everyone runs for different reasons. My reason is simplicity. When running, everything becomes simple. It's you versus the trail. I don't have time to think about outside issues because I must concentrate on what is directly in front of me. Losing focus usually leads to you falling or not challenging yourself. When the fatigue takes over, I love it. It's strange, but I like to embrace the SUCK. At this point, it's a test of your resolve. Running at night is preferred by me because it allows me to unplug from the day.
Jiu-jitsu is chess with the body. I've fallen in love with this martial art because I can see how I've grown from practicing it. When rolling, you are often put in many high pressure situations (come on, you are about to be choked or a limb is on its way to be broken), so I've noticed how I've become much more calm in these situations. Jiu-jitsu is about finding a way to counter, execute, and utilize what's given to you with efficiency. Practicing this martial art has also given me confidence in myself should I ever be physically attacked by anyone. Yes, having earned a 2nd degree black belt in taekwondo should give me confidence, but learning jiu-jistu is on another level.
I'm a big fan of physical activities because of the awesome fun and the lessons they teach us.
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