Reflective Essay: My Last Season Of Middle School Basketball

My last season of middle school basketball, I felt like I was never strong enough, never fast enough, and never good enough. I thought about giving it all up until I came to high school and started playing for Becky Padgett. She effected not only how I played, but my attitude and character as well. What I would give to be able to play just one more game for her as my coach. I have played basketball since I was about five years old and I was never that kid that sat on the bench the whole season until my eighth grade year. That year, we had about thirty people on the team and half of them were sixth graders. I told the coach that was stupid of him so I basically did not play the rest of the season. My bad attitude and smart mouth had gotten the best of me and ruined my last season of middle school basketball. I was so aggravated that I almost decided to not play in high school. Of course, Coach Padgett heard about what I did and expected me to
Not just in basketball, but in everyday life. I realized that basketball does not build character but reveals it. It showed me how far I could push myself and to keep going no matter how hard it gets. Basketball did not just help me reveal my character, Padgett did too. One day after practice she said to me, “Kayli, I am so proud of you. I expected to have my hands full with you but you have gone beyond my expectations. Keep it up, girl.” I recently quit playing basketball this year and I regret it every day. I completely neglected my teammates and the people around me when I made my decision. I decided to quit for various reasons that some share with me and many have asked, “Are you glad you quit? Should I quit too?” No, quitting is never the answer and I am not proud of what I did. Coach Padgett resigned after my freshman year and it was just never the same after that. I am not saying I quit because she did, but if she would have stayed, I would still be playing right