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Lessons learned from writing a personal narrative
Lessons learned from writing a personal narrative
Writing a story about my self personal narrative
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I remember my junior year of basketball as if it were yesterday. To start, my coach Mr. Neal was pushing me harder than I have ever been pushed by any coach I have ever had. He was taking time to mold me into the leader of the team. See Mr. Neal was about 5’6, African American, very easy to relate to as well as he was very respected he just had this sort of presence about him as if he meant business and he was willing to do whatever was necessary to achieve his goals. It was his first year as a coach for our basketball program and coming off a very successful last year winning the championship he had a lot to live up to as a first year head coach for the team, as well as the team being mainly made of juniors myself included with also only 3
Entering my final season of AAU basketball I knew I had set myself up for a roller coaster of emotions, whether it was from the night of my first practice, the weekend of my first tournament, or my first time on the road with my new team. This was because a lot was on the line this season, and I strived to make this season my best, and most enjoyable. This is mostly because this was the final year getting the opportunity to put on my red and black jersey every tournament. It was my last season traveling around the country with my teammates every weekend with one goal, to win, and it was my last season to improve my skills all around, in an attempt to further my basketball career into college. During the first few practices I was nervous for how the season would go because I noticed my coach was a lot harder on me than he was to my teammates and I did not know how to take that at first.I was not used to to his coaching style of being loud, in your face, and tough, or his emphasis on "perfection" because on my past teams I was used to being the best person on the team, and my coach rarely had negative criticism for me, so I took his intense coaching style terribly.
My senior year of baseball was quickly coming to an end. I knew the only games we had left were the playoff games. It was the first round of the state playoffs. We were the fourth seed, so we had to play a number one seed. I knew it was going to put our team to the test, but I knew we had a chance to beat them. We had a good last practice before game day, and I felt confident in my team and felt like we were ready for the game.
It 's the day before my last high school varsity basketball game as a senior… Wow four years went by this fast who would have imagined this day would have came. All day I was thinking about the season ending. This game meant everything to me, it wasn 't any ordinary game. It 's a section game! Win or go home.. With it being my last high school game I wanted to close the chapter knowing I gave it my all. Practice was probably the most intense it 's ever been for me. Emotions were flaring and we were all on the grind.
Sadly, my family was going through financial struggles, forcing me out of the school zone I was destined to attend. When I discussed the situation wih the high school coaches they told me they would pick me up from my new house and take me to school every day; with the condition that I’d play football for them all throughout high school. Even though this was illegal I continued to go ahead and accept the offer. My first year of high school was so exciting that it went by in the blink of an eye. Sophomore year came and the clock ticked closer and closer to when everything would change. I started in varsity as a corner back but soon would have big shoes to fill as the team’s quarterback. Not only did this require skill and hard work but the ability and qualities of a leader as well. Ultimately, playing this position helped me acquire traits that would soon be necessary for success. That year was tough for us because the majority of the team consisted of inexperienced players, however the coaches knew I would be the one to lead the
Luckily after finishing that terrible season our coach left and went to another school. The next year of wrestling we got a new coach and our middle school team grew tremendously, which now the middle school team is an extremely successful program. Throughout high school we went through a couple different coaches, but junior year finally found one that was going to stick around, Coach East. This was the year that I would make history not just for me, but for Chelsea High school and the wrestling program.All I thought about day in and day out was wrestling and practicing everyday, even after my high school practices going to club
Malcolm X once said, “There is no better than adversity. Every defeat; every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance next time.” I stared closely at the scoreboard, watching the seconds count down. I grasped that I would not be playing in this game or the next, or the one following that. This season would be a learning experience, an experience that would strengthen my mind and spirit. My first year on varsity soccer was truly a challenge. I struggled for the first time in my soccer career and faced many difficult obstacles, along the way. The season began, and I was immediately labeled as a “reserve” player. I was a bench warmer and a useless substitute, who had minimal playing time.
Freshman year is when I truly experienced the feeling of actually winning a game for once. Moving to a new school was a slap in the face for me, the girls were so serious about the playing the game and winning that I didn’t know what to do. I’ve never won before! Now, I definitely wasn’t the best on the team by any means, but I improved so much over the two years I spent in Wisconsin. If I learned anything from freshman year, it’s that you work for what you desire in life. You can’t just stand by and hope for
Fast forward, a couple of years and it is the summer of 2014. I entered my final year of eligibility for the Road Warriors team. The course of our annual spring practices were underway and I began to notice a change. Athletes younger than me but faster, stronger, and taller were beginning to look to me for guidance as we worked through practices and scrimmages. The coach who once took a chance on me many years ago also began to treat as not just one of his athletes, but as an individual who has held esteem within his team and as a person who contributed significantly to the success of the organization.
I had been running track all through high school and was just about to start my senior season. I had never been great, but good enough to make states last year in the middle distances. Up until this year our only coaches were your typical, out of shape, over the hill, middle aged women who only coached track because they were either mean old biddies who liked to boss around young women or were athletes themselves before they let themselves go and now wanted to relive their fantasies of victory through our hard work and sweat.
I went from being on a team where I was a leader, and one of the best players on the field, to once again being the smallest player on the team and having to work for everything I deserved. My freshman year I was on the Junior Varsity team, where I played in most of the games, but my spot was always up for grabs. I felt as though people were always doubting me, and I was only out there because I was the best option for the team. In the offseason before my sophomore year, I worked really hard to get bigger, faster, and stronger to improve my odds at playing on Varsity. When tryouts rolled around, we had a new coach, and it felt like a chance for me to prove myself to the team and myself.
Aww man! We almost went the finals but almost don’t count. However, what an amazing run at the State Championship going 19-8 on the season. My Basketball seasons at Ridge Community High School were enjoyable and something I can never forget. We were a dominate team, beating all the Polk County teams that were in our district. We lead the county in assists, steals, and the most Three pointers that year, as well. We also, had one of the best players in high school that year name T.Rose. The most competitive team I enjoyed playing was our cross town rival Haines City Hornets. My Basketball season is one of the best experiences in my life.
Last year over spring break I went to my friend Cory’s house almost every day. One day I go over to his house and we’re playing video games and start talking about our high school basketball season, which had just ended at the time, and we were talking about how we should have won state. Cory then says, “well I guess we’re just gonna have to put in more work over the summer!” then I said, “Aint that the truth!” Cory then told me that he had a club basketball game in two days and so I told him that I’d try to make it, but I’m not making any promises. He told me that I should try out for his team but since our high school basketball season had just ended, I was tired and didn’t really want to play club. He tried to convince me to play club with him by telling me about all the
Ever since I was a little boy, about eight years old or so, I had an extreme passion for the sport of basketball. On weekends, I would wake up in the morning, eat a bowl of frosted flakes or cheerios, put on basketball shorts and then go in my driveway to shoot around. I would be out there for hours just shooting around or playing with some random kids that I would occasionally see walking around my neighborhood. This was satisfaction to me, but even better was playing on multiple public teams and not just playing in my driveway every day. In elementary school, I played in a recreational league, just like almost every other kid who tries out basketball when they were younger. This was fun and all but it was nothing too serious. There were never any practices, it was just one or two unorganized games per week. I never took
I remember my heart rising as I first serve received a ball, my nerves hovering when it became match point, and devoting myself to the game. My team and I fell short, but it is a time I will forever cherish. My coach, Julie, stood strong headed, impassioned, and motivated. She was gratified with how hard we worked the whole season. In basketball, I was also named to an all-conference team plus an all-district team.
Then came the senior year. The season came around and my coach, Coach Fletcher, had big expectations for me. I suffered through soccer conditioning and lost a few pounds from it. But I’m getting ahead of myself. the spring season before school ball was my biggest nightmare.