College Admissions Essay: My Life As A Basketball Player
I never really was in a team before or was even taught by anybody. I was just a girl who liked basketball and taught myself how to play, with the help of YouTube of course. I played basketball since I was a child. I remember shooting granny style because I was too short and weak to shoot it normally. The ball would be full size and the ball would be bigger than my head. My parents were the sexist type and thought basketball was a boy sport, so they never let me sign up for city league or some sort to get taught by an actual coach. It was cruel.
Throughout my basketball career, I would play basketball at home with a paint bucket and a basketball because my parents never let my buy an actual hoop because we were poor and had no room at our house. The only time I played with an actual hoop was during recess or at the park which was rarely. I’d watch YouTube on how to get better and learn the rules of basketball. I was known as probably the best girl basketball player at my elementary school; I was proud.
I never knew I’d try out for the basketball team in junior high or even high school, yet I did. 7th grade, it was the year I tried …show more content…
out for an actual team; my first team. I was nervous to join because as every child thinks of middle school or high school, it was intimidating. I thought everyone would be so much better than me and that I’d never make the team. When I made the team I was excited, yet nervous because I’ve never played on an actual team with coaches, referees, and actual strategies. It was March 14, 2014, our first game, a home game. In front of many people, with people I know cheering. The loud shouts as we are about to play. I can hear my friends screaming, “Go Sheena!” as we are heading to the center of the court for a jump ball. We setup our positions at the middle of the court. The referee comes to the middle of the two girls with the ball getting ready to toss the ball. Before he does he says, “ I want to see a clean game with good sportsmanship,” with other stuff I can’t remember. He tosses the ball up in the air, as all the girl look up and see who would get the ball. With a tall girl from the other team, she tips it to her teammate. We rush to defend our basket with a nervous, focus face, we block every girl. Our girl overplayed her defense, the opponent got into a shooting position and shot the ball. Her calves popping out as she jumped, her flick of the wrist as the ball releases, her face as she hopes it makes. The ball slightly rotating as it makes an arch right into the basket. With confidence, our team falls into play.
The point guard drives the ball into our side of the court. Wide open at the three point line, she passes me the ball. My heart skips a beat with the feeling of nervousness. As I see an opponent rushing to defend me, I get into position. My legs squaring up getting ready to jump, my calve muscles pop out as I jump, my arm straightening out as my wrist flicks the ball as it releases out of my hand. The ball in a perfect arch, rotating slowly, hoping to make it in. Everyone staring at the ball hoping for it to make, as the opposing team doubts it’ll make. The ball hits the backboard, slowly hits the rim of the basket, goes right in. The crowd shouts in joy of how awesome the shot was. A 7th grader making a 3-pointer was astonishing to them. My teammates cheering as we started to get in the lead
3-2. With the motivation from that shot, we ended the game with a victory of 22-11. I was overly amazed of how awesome that game was. My very first game, a victory, with a starting 3-pointer. It was a moment never to forget. Since then I remember my first game as a motivation to get better as I play in high school and basketball in general. Guys who were in the boys’ basketball team who were really good called me MVP. I felt special, I never been taught by someone on how to play. Years of playing, teaching myself, and watching YouTube. Started from a paint bucket and a basketball. I now purchased a basketball hoop and made our own backboard and attached it to our roof; it is a bit shorter than normal hoops, but still better than a paint bucket. You can really do anything and be good at whatever you strive for even when you have nothing.
Throughout my basketball career, I would play basketball at home with a paint bucket and a basketball because my parents never let my buy an actual hoop because we were poor and had no room at our house. The only time I played with an actual hoop was during recess or at the park which was rarely. I’d watch YouTube on how to get better and learn the rules of basketball. I was known as probably the best girl basketball player at my elementary school; I was proud.
I never knew I’d try out for the basketball team in junior high or even high school, yet I did. 7th grade, it was the year I tried …show more content…
out for an actual team; my first team. I was nervous to join because as every child thinks of middle school or high school, it was intimidating. I thought everyone would be so much better than me and that I’d never make the team. When I made the team I was excited, yet nervous because I’ve never played on an actual team with coaches, referees, and actual strategies. It was March 14, 2014, our first game, a home game. In front of many people, with people I know cheering. The loud shouts as we are about to play. I can hear my friends screaming, “Go Sheena!” as we are heading to the center of the court for a jump ball. We setup our positions at the middle of the court. The referee comes to the middle of the two girls with the ball getting ready to toss the ball. Before he does he says, “ I want to see a clean game with good sportsmanship,” with other stuff I can’t remember. He tosses the ball up in the air, as all the girl look up and see who would get the ball. With a tall girl from the other team, she tips it to her teammate. We rush to defend our basket with a nervous, focus face, we block every girl. Our girl overplayed her defense, the opponent got into a shooting position and shot the ball. Her calves popping out as she jumped, her flick of the wrist as the ball releases, her face as she hopes it makes. The ball slightly rotating as it makes an arch right into the basket. With confidence, our team falls into play.
The point guard drives the ball into our side of the court. Wide open at the three point line, she passes me the ball. My heart skips a beat with the feeling of nervousness. As I see an opponent rushing to defend me, I get into position. My legs squaring up getting ready to jump, my calve muscles pop out as I jump, my arm straightening out as my wrist flicks the ball as it releases out of my hand. The ball in a perfect arch, rotating slowly, hoping to make it in. Everyone staring at the ball hoping for it to make, as the opposing team doubts it’ll make. The ball hits the backboard, slowly hits the rim of the basket, goes right in. The crowd shouts in joy of how awesome the shot was. A 7th grader making a 3-pointer was astonishing to them. My teammates cheering as we started to get in the lead
3-2. With the motivation from that shot, we ended the game with a victory of 22-11. I was overly amazed of how awesome that game was. My very first game, a victory, with a starting 3-pointer. It was a moment never to forget. Since then I remember my first game as a motivation to get better as I play in high school and basketball in general. Guys who were in the boys’ basketball team who were really good called me MVP. I felt special, I never been taught by someone on how to play. Years of playing, teaching myself, and watching YouTube. Started from a paint bucket and a basketball. I now purchased a basketball hoop and made our own backboard and attached it to our roof; it is a bit shorter than normal hoops, but still better than a paint bucket. You can really do anything and be good at whatever you strive for even when you have nothing.