“Rebounding” From an early age, the game of basketball has been one of my upmost passions. Whether it’s watching or playing, I simply cannot get enough of it. Growing up, I regularly attended Oklahoma State University basketball games with my parents and members of my extended family, and watched games as readily as they became available to me. Aside from being a devoted spectator, I fully enjoyed playing basketball at any time and with anyone that I could. Throughout my childhood, I participated in a multitude of games and leagues of varying competitiveness. All of this exposure to the game strengthened my passion and allowed me to elevate my skill level. Consequently, basketball became part of my identity. In fact, everyone around me knew me as “the basketball guy”. Whenever asked to share something about myself, a statement involving basketball always ensued. As I progressed through middle school and entered high school, this basketball centered personality that I had created for myself remained largely intact. …show more content…
In order to build upon my success, I continued persistently training in preparation for the upcoming tryouts that would determine the next years’ varsity team. When that day finally came, I felt ready to show the coaches what I had to offer. Despite the nerves and the amounting pressure, I walked out of the gym with an exhilarated feeling once tryouts had ended. I truly had no doubt that my name would be on that paper the next morning, indicating that I had been chosen for the team. However, the following day I was hit with a reality check. My name was not on that list. The feeling that rushed over me was dreadful; the sport that had been such a big part of my everyday life would, in a sense, no longer be there for me moving forward. In my mind, I had