My Own Sports Experience
Despite being an avid sports fan throughout my entire life, I have never been a standout athlete. I always participated in sports and joined my school teams, but I was never deemed to be “the best” or very talented. That being said, when I tell others about my most memorable sports experience, they often seem surprised and astounded. My response: in sports, anyone can rise to the occasion and be the difference maker in any given moment.
In the 7th grade, due to the influence and sway of my close friends, I tried out for the boy’s basketball team. At that time, basketball was my favorite sport to watch and play, but I lacked the skills needed to succeed and play at a high level. However, I stayed open-minded throughout tryouts and played with determination and heart. To my own surprise, I ended up making the 12-man roster. Despite my accomplishment, I began the first five games of the season with my butt glued to the bench. The best and most talented players played, and I didn’t get to see the floor even during the garbage minutes at the end of games. I knew basketball was a team sport, but I was upset by the fact that I wasn’t playing. I played hard and gave it my all during practices, even staying late to work on free throws and shooting. At this point, I started questioning my commitment to the team and whether it was worth my time and devotion to simply be a “body” on the bench.
On March 5th, 2005, I finally got to see the court. Our starting point guard fouled out with about six minutes left in the game, and the coach called on me to go out and replace him. I was mixed with feelings of excitement and nervousness as I entered the game, but with my team down two, my only goal was to help us win. In the first five minutes I was out there, I played well, making a layup, recording an assist, and helping force a turnover. However, with my team still down two with just under 12 seconds remaining in the game, my coach called a timeout to talk things over. In an interesting decision, my coach wanted us to hold onto the ball and take the last shot of the game, instead of taking a quick shot and fouling the other team if necessary. He drew up a play that called for our best shooter, Eric, to take the last shot and possible game winner. My role was to set a pick for Eric, which would ultimately help him get open for the shot.
We walked back on the court and the whistle blew. The pass was inbounded and everyone executed their roles to a tee. However, when Eric received the ball with only five seconds left on the clock, a double-team came straight at him, forcing him to either take an ugly shot or pass out to an open but less qualified shooter. He chose the latter, and that shooter happened to be me. My first, immediate instinct was to pass because as the benchwarmer who was lucky to be playing, I couldn’t possibly be the one to take the last shot of a crucial game, could I? With a few seconds remaining, and no defender in my sight, I let the ball fly and the result was nothing but net, swish. The buzzer went off, my teammates jumped onto the court and on top of me. Basking in all the glory, I looked over at the stands to see my mom jumping and smiling. It was an unbelievable feeling, one that even my own words cannot describe.
This story is my favorite sports experience and it is one that I will always cherish. This experience highlights a few important principles that apply not only in sports, but also in various aspects of life. From this experience, I learned the importance of preparation. Practice and preparation put you in a better position to succeed. Despite the fact that I wasn’t playing, I never quit. I worked hard and prepared myself in practice for the day when I would finally get my chance. In addition, this experience proved to me that one does not need to be “the best” or the most talented in order to make a difference. With that one shot that I took, I proved to myself that I could make a difference. I was far from the best on the team, but in that moment, I shined bright.
