Future scholars be warned, the refs will call fouls on you for breathing on the other team. Make sure you don’t look at the other team too hard as well because I swear that’s a foul too. You’ll surely dominate the stat line over here in points, boards, assists, blocks, and fouls. My only message here though is to remain calm! Life will go on and you will get to play another game. Don’t be frustrated with how things work, just do your best to change the culture of the sport.
We just played our first game for our school team last night and the level of play is not quite what you’d be used to. Handle it with humility and remember what it can be like to be on the loosing side of things. I hate to sound over confident or cocky, that’s not my aim, but the culture in Ireland is not focused around basketball. So you will come in with a higher level of play. Use it to grow the culture over and teach as much as you can. Part of our mission is to create a stronger culture by showing that we are used to performing at a higher more detailed level, but also by humbly sharing our knowledge and experience with those around us. You really will be able to see the difference you make when you push a teammate to be better, or correct a kid trying to learn fundamentals. Not many people play basketball here and that tells me two things. There definitely is space for improvement in all aspects of the sport, but the people involved are passionate. Everyone playing really does love it.
So, again, handle yourself like the pro (or more precisely semi-professional) that you are about to become; your influence is greater than you might think. Also side note to all the basketball scholars; do your school work early. I can’t speak for most other places, but in Sligo, the first semester, depending on your masters program, you might have a lot of large assignment all due on the same week. I’d say that right when you get assigned them start working, because they pile up quickly.
Okay, time for my joke.
Why shouldn’t basketball players drink too much?
They’ll dribble…
