My Greatest Obstacle Yet

If you know me, you know that I really like to play sports. Whatever it may be, from skiing to football, I’m your guy. I try hard at sports (sometimes harder than I do in school). I get extremely competitive… even in P.E. My motto- if you aren’t first, you’re last. I have a hard time getting over losses, whether it is with people, sports, or anything of that matter. The one sport that I am most competitive at and love the most is basketball. This is where the story begins…

It has been my life goal to get a scholarship to a Division I college and play NCAA basketball. I can picture myself playing for UCLA and doing great on and off the court. Back in California, I loved playing on multiple teams. My day: School, practice, game, sleep. Life seemed good. I put in the work because I enjoyed it. As I got older, I enjoyed it much more, playing in all-state tournaments and more. Then, I found out that I was moving to Caracas, Venezuela. What bugs me? Read on.

California State Games, one of the tournaments I played in.

I hoped to come to my school playing with guys a lot better than me, maybe some 6 foot 5 guys who could teach me a thing or two. Or a top coach who could whip me into top shape. Coming from a league called AAU, I knew it would possibly be a step down in abilities. I didn’t know it would be this big of a drop!

 I was expecting a tryout of 50-60 kids. I then found out there weren’t even 50 kids in my GRADE (to show you how much of a surprise this was for me, let me put it this way- if I was in my HS in Cal, there would have been 2,000 freshmen). Instead, I am playing on a 10 person squad. 11 tried out. I was being coached by my Social Studies teacher, and instead of playing in a tournament each weekend like I did in California, we play in one tournament the entire season. I was, and still am, angry about the lack of intensity sports are at my school. I know a lot of people that would give up on basketball if they were in the same position as me: A player who goes from an all-out intensive league to a little play team with no competition. But I try not to let these things stop me, or even slow me down. I still work out a lot by myself, watch tape, and practice year-round. I know my former teammates back in California are getting supreme coaching (one coached by a former NBA head coach) and opportunity in comparison to me.

I call these things obstacles. Sure, I don’t have the greatest opportunity of making it to the collegiate level, which as mentioned, was my goal. Sure, I wish I was back home. But hey, isn’t life all about overcoming obstacles? Isn’t there achievement in that itself? Well, ladies and gentlemen, I won’t give up. That is my next obstacle for me to get around. Don’t forget. Because as I say, if you aren’t first, you’re LAST.