Basketball has been a part of my life ever since of I was 6 years old. Basketball has always brought my family together, introduced me to some of my best friends, allowed me to travel the world, and most importantly helped me overcome some of the hardest moments in my life. Life has not always been easy or straightforward, but there has always been one constant in my life: basketball. In middle school I knew my summer would consist of traveling around the country for AAU tournaments, and in high school I knew no matter what my day looked like I would always have basketball practice to look forward to, and in college, as busy as I was I was able to structure my day incredibly efficiently because of the stability that basketball provided.
Don’t get me wrong basketball has not always been all happy go lucky. There were some tough moments. I went from being a star when I was younger to playing for one of the best high school teams in the country. I hardly played my freshmen year on Varsity, and I knew any playing time I got I earned. I learned the true meaning of hard work and the importance of a team. While I was in high school we won four straight Ohio State Championships, which was more satisfying than any individual accolade I could have ever received. I took this mentality with me to college because I knew that all of my teammates were the best players from their area, and I knew once again any playing I received I would have to earn. I worked very hard my first two years and stayed the summer going into my junior year, so that I could be the best player I could possibly be for my team. I earned a starting position my junior year, and sadly three games into the season I tore my ACL. This season ending injury once again reminded me how much I loved basketball and how much I wasn’t ready to give it up. I once again stayed for the summer so I could rehab and be ready for the season. Although I was slow to recover, I eventually earned back my starting position the second half of the season and we ended the Patriot League the best we had in a while. I was fortunate to have such motivating coaches, the best trainer in the world, and teammates that believed in me every step of the way. Basketball taught me to never give up, and instilled a diligent work ethic in me that I try and use in all aspects in my life. I know that I will not always be the best, but I can always be one of the hardest workers.
Next weekend is my last game of basketball with the Portlaoise Panthers and I cannot believe that my basketball career is almost over. Playing competitive basketball almost my entire life has definitely contributed to the person I am today. Basketball has pushed me physically, mentally, and emotionally. All those long training sessions and difficult conditioning sessions with nearly impossible times pushed me to never give up and helped me realize how powerful a strong mentality is. Although I had my ups and downs with basketball over the years, I would never give up my years playing the sport I love and I am so sad that my career is almost over. I am stronger, tougher, more competitive, more disciplined, more persistent, more caring, and more diligent because of basketball. Basketball has taught me how to manage my time and instilled such a powerful work ethic in me. Basketball has taught me that although we may not always win, our response to a loss is what matters. I am thankful for all of the life lessons that basketball has taught me and for bringing me to some of the most incredible friends and mentors.
As I mentioned life has not always been straightforward or easy. I hardly talk about my personal life, but a reason I am so thankful for basketball is because it helped me preserve during the hardest time in my life. I lost my mom my sophomore year of high school and I found out that she had passed during our season opener. My dad got the call, my sister saw him, and I saw her. My sister was on the court and she went down. I saw her and I knew and I was paralyzed with sadness. We both finished the game and we won. We won that game for my mom, and we have played every game since for my mom. My mom was the most beautiful, courageous, caring, giving person I have ever known and I am honored to play for her and live everyday in her memory. Life has not been easy since I lost my mom, but basketball helped me stay focused, and I am thankful for that.
We talk a lot about how sports change lives, but honestly they do. They help define the person you are, teach you important life lessons, and overcome adversity when life gets too hard. When life got too complicated I knew that I had basketball as a stress reliever. I am so thankful for the sport of basketball and everything it has done for me.
