The great Jon Bon Jovi once said, “Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, be passionate." Passion is power. It is the light of perfection that we constantly chase. For some who take it for granted, it blinds them, while for those who persevere, it makes them shine. Everyone has a passion, no matter how big or small, it makes up their character and goals. I have many goals for my future, but it is my past that will define them. Firstly, I fell in love with the game of basketball when I was a child. This sport motivates me to strive for greatness and has affected my confidence in life. Secondly, I have always wondered what a world without violence would feel like. I was born in a nation at war and experienced …show more content…
I started watching basketball at age four, as just a young child learning the basics of the game. Unlike other sports, basketball felt different. It was the only sport that I looked forward to playing every day. As I began middle school, I became very attached to the game. I began watching NBA basketball and fell in love with it. Kobe Bryant was my idol at the time. I would go to the park almost every day, rain or shine, putting on a dribbling exhibition or practicing my jump shots. It became contagious as I would be shooting every day for hours, non-stop! Not only has basketball meant a lot for me, it has been beneficial for millions of people world-wide. The NBA has created programs such as NBA Cares, Hoops for Troops, and NBA Fit. Many of the NBA’s best players have contributed to these programs, which focus on helping less fortunate people and promoting physical fitness. Some players have started local charities of their own to help their communities. A very important aspect of basketball is exercise, healthy living, having fun, and teamwork. These are essential fundamentals of a healthy lifestyle which basketball has proven to incorporate. Teamwork is one of the biggest elements of basketball. As the great Michael Jordan once said, “Talent wins games, but team work and intelligence wins championships.” Therefore, the sport of basketball has motivated …show more content…
It has driven me to become successful academically, while helping me in my daily life. However, not everyone is fortunate enough to get quality education at a young age. I have been blessed to receive education since I was four years old, in a nation that is one of the most resourceful for learning in the entire world. I am very grateful for this opportunity, as I realize how many people are missing out on this opportunity. I never take this blessing for granted, as I know my educational life cannot be any better. I have the opportunity to fulfill any career I desire, which makes me very fortunate. Education is important in the sense that it is everlasting. There is not one person in the world that cannot educate themselves. Nobody is perfect, which makes education a strong tool. The great Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.” This phrase is very accurate as Mandela is implying that education is the most positive way we can create a brighter world and live a great lifestyle. Education is what shapes the outcome of your life. For example, a student who always completes tasks and studies hard will be much more successful in their future than a student that puts in no effort and constantly skips classes. Hopefully I can maintain my academic success to the post-secondary level which could essentially decide what I do for the rest of my
It runs through my veins and I cannot live without it. For a long time I did not know who I was but one day, through a basketball camp, a coach helped me realize what my identity was. He helped me figure out that i am a child of God. All my uncles played basketball along with both of my Grandfathers. For a long time I thought that basketball had to be the only thing to define me but, it does not.
Michael Jordan once said “I will not let anything get in the way of me and my competitive enthusiasm to win”. This have help people of all ages get through their burdens and do something they love instead of doing some negative. For many people basketball has become more than a game, it’s the way of life. The American game of basketball has traveled now, it’s played by more than 250 million people worldwide.
Starting my freshman year at County High School, I played basketball and loved every minute of it. I wouldn’t be conceited enough to say I was good, but God did bless me with the talent to play. My life revolved around the sport of basketball; some would say I slept, ate, and breathed every part of it. I spent all my time training and practicing to make myself a more dedicated athlete. This dedication not only helped me as a player, but also molded me into the person I am today. It somehow helped to prepare me for what defeat I would face with back surgery in the future.
“The odds of a high school basketball player making it to the “next level” to play college basketball (DI, II, or III) is slim. In fact, only 3.4% of high school players go on to play college basketball. Taking it even further, only 1.2% of college basketball players go on to get drafted in the NBA” (Winters, 2016). There are two types of players in the game. There are the kids who play basketball because they are athletic, and all they are seeking to gain is the recognition and awards. They want to be known. Those players are self-centered, they do not play for the team, and generally don’t play because they love the game. These are the types of players who don’t usually go on to play at the next level. On the other hand, there are the players that absolutely dedicate their life to the game of basketball just because they love the game. That is what coaches are looking for in a player, and that is the kind of player I am striving to be.
The NBA is well known for the number of amazing professional athletes it has had over the years. Some of the most gifted and talented individuals come through the NBA and one of the better-known superstars is none other than Kobe Bryant. For years people have wondered what makes Bryant so successful. The main contributors that lead to Kobe Bryant’s success is his hard work and dedication, his mindset, his natural ability’s and talent, and the people that have helped him throughout his life. Kobe Bryant was very successful in the NBA because of the amount of hard work he has put in, the people in his life, his relentless determination and his god given natural abilities.
It happened watching it on television seeing all the great players such as Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Larry Bird. The most important influence would have had to been my mother who in her younger years played basketball for the Canadian junior national team. It was when she was playing at the gym I would tag along and just play around. Although I played both basketball and hockey until grade seven it just seemed I was better suited for basketball. With that rate that I had been growing at I was taller and with all the help that I received from my mom I had developed basketball wise much faster than many of the other children my age.
I dearly loved the sports of my birthplace (soccer, cricket & rugby), but one of the major influences that helped me with my transition was falling in love with basketball.
My long and strenuous journey to be like Michael Jordan became an obsession, plaguing me from the second grade to high school. Like many children, I grew up idolizing “His Airness.” Emulating his intensity and competitiveness, I devoted myself to basketball, sacrificing weekend after weekend to the court. Before I knew it, my teammates had dubbed me “Mr. Automatic.”
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
Sports are often identified to have positive influences on many individuals. The sports industry is growing worldwide, especially the basketball industry, which is regarded in second place behind football. The global prevalence of basketball is unquestionable, especially among the young. Basketball is a dynamic team sport that involves a pattern of alternating, active, and skilled movement activities. There are compound demands that require a mixture of individual skills, team plays, strategies, and motivational aspects.
Being part of the basketball clique in high school helped me learn the intrapersonal and social communication skills I use today. As a child playing basketball was my favorite activity or hobby. It's also the way I met a lot of my good friends that I have now. All my close friends I have met. I have met them through playing basketball.. Whether they were on my team, the opposing team or just fans in the crowd who admired my play. Not only has basketball helped me gain friends, but basketball also taught me a lot about life. There are many aspects of life that coincide with basketball. For instance basketball is a team game and an individual game. Like in life you have to work together with other people. The communication skills I learned from basketball helped me communicate with friends, girlfriends, parents and bosses at work.
“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” ― Malcolm X. (http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/education?page=2) Education, to me, was a passport that I had almost missed. Education was a plane that was ready to take off and leave me behind. This is my story of how much my education means to me.
Basketball kept me and my friends connected we watch it and play it whenever we get the opportunity.
When you look at a basketball what do you see? Most would see an orange, sphere, shaped rubber ball. There are black lines and real leather. If you look closer, you would even see the size of the ball in which you are playing with. A basketball could be just a toy for many, or even represent a release for others, but for me, it means a lot more. A basketball represents my blood, sweat, tears, passion, sacrifice, and most of all, a sense of belonging, like a family. At this moment in my life, there are only three things I devote my life to- family, friends, and basketball. Basketball has shaped my life probably more than anything else. Basketball has instilled in me a vicious will to achieve and embrace my ambitions instead of fearing them. Basketball gave me an open opportunity to try something new. New opportunities and experiences are not such a big deal anymore. From academics to personal matters, the lessons that I have learned from basketball has impacted my life.
When discussing the physical impact basketball has had on my life, I will not hesitate to state that, I used to be overweight, but now I have a normal weight. Due to the vigorous exercises we did during the game, I was able to develop physical fitness and better shape. I understood what my body could do and had been able to maintain this ability. Therefore, establishing a lifelong habit for good health.