I believe basketball has taught me many valuable life lessons, and perhaps more importantly, played a significant role in developing me into the successful student and employee I am today.
Basketball, ever since I was three years old, has fascinated me. It started off with me spending time with my dad watching games on television and shooting hoops in the backyard. This soon turned into a full on infatuation with the sport. I loved competing, the adrenalin of playing in a game, and the energy it allowed me to expend. I, simply put, loved the game. Little did I know that playing basketball would have a much greater impact on my life than I could have ever imagined.
As I grew older, I began playing on school teams where I learned several valuable lessons such as commitment, responsibility, and teamwork. As a member of a team, I had to fully commit myself to the team, because my actions now did not only have an effect on myself, but my teammates as well. I also learned the importance of responsibility. No one was forcing me to play basketball, I chose to. I owed it to my team and to my coach to be there day in and day out. The lessons I learned went beyond just the court. The skills I picked up from showing up to practice on time, everyday, ready to work, carried over to the classroom as well as the workplace. Your teacher and manager expect the same things from you as your coach and teammates do. Today, I hold a 3.75 grade point average in college and have never been fired, which I take great pride in and attribute to the lessons I learned from basketball. All my past teachers and managers have told me they have the utmost respect for me and that I am a hard working and determined individual.
Teamwork was possibly the most valuable lesson I learned from basketball. Learning to work together with other individuals to achieve a common goal is a skill that I have used, and will continue to use, for the rest of my life. Entering my college career, I was blessed enough to play basketball at the junior college level. My teammates came from a variety of places such as Detroit, Chicago, New York, and even as far away as England. In that team environment, working together everyday in practice, I learned how to work efficiently and communicate effectively with a diverse group of people. These skills have helped me immensely in group projects for school, as well as meetings at work, and I know they will be very beneficial to me when I start my career.
For me, basketball has helped me with many aspects of my life. Without the game of basketball, I believe I would be a completely different person. I encourage anyone looking for motivation in his or her life to give basketball a try, or any sport for that matter.