Somethings Never Change
The smell of new paint and wooden flooring filled my nose as I laced up my shoes. It was the beginning of senior year and basketball had started again. All the returning players were joking and greeting each other, while the incoming freshmen stood around, overwhelmed. It seemed like only yesterday when I first entered high school, clueless and innocent just like them. I was never popular growing up. In fact, I wasn’t very outgoing and hardly talked to anyone. Not having siblings exacerbated the problem because I only had my parents to discuss my troubles with.
I was pigeonholed according to my race, being bombarded with the same questions built on Asian stereotypes wherever I went. “How are your grades? Can you help me with math?” It felt as if I could not escape this bubble and explore the world for myself. That was when I decided to take up basketball.
My parents signed me up for a small local camp to help me learn the sport. Initially, I was a train wreck. I hardly knew the basics and was too timid to ask others for help. While others were exhausted from running, I was sweating from my own anxiety. Then Coach Marquis called me over and told me with a big grin on his face, “Be confident, smile, and most importantly have fun in whatever you do.”
Looking back, I can see how such simple advice helped me grow. I began to socialize more, and gradually established lasting friendships. I joined student council, played in the school orchestra, and played basketball in a local league. When I felt I had surpassed my old self, another obstacle rose up; I was moving. I finally felt that I belonged somewhere, and now I had to start all over again.
When I first came to Irvine, I could only focus on how it contrasted from Los Angeles. It was quieter and cleaner. It was a new community, new home, and new people to build friendships with. Basketball, however, stayed the same. Perhaps that’ why it became more than just a sport.
For one thing, it taught me how to persevere despite adversities. I did not make the team during my freshman and sophomore years, but that only motivated me to work even harder and try again junior year. Shooting hoops grew into a stress reliever; whenever I had a rough day or a lot of homework, I could always clear my mind by playing basketball.
Basketball also paved way to new experiences. I started coaching children at the Irvine Chinese School. Coaching brought back memories of when I started playing basketball. Seeing smiles on the faces of players meant everything to me and even motivated me to work harder on an individual level. The determination and drive ultimately paid off when I made the team junior year.
My journey did not just stop there. During senior year of high school, my teammates and I faced one of the most difficult opponents of our tough season, Corona Del Mar. We were down big, with very little time left on the clock. The crowd was beginning to become anxious. However, the mentality of not giving up and pushing forward always stuck with us. We started to chip away slowly. Bit by bit. It would be a layup, and then a steal. Little by little, we got back up and fought back, and we ultimately won the game in double overtime.
I never became the most popular kid at school. I will never be the most athletic person in the room. Experience has taught me that sometimes, the worst of times paves a path for the best of times. Such challenges inspired me to endure failure and chase my passions. Basketball opened up a new world for me, and helped me mature. Persistence and courage will combat obstacles like nothing else can. Finally, it taught me to cherish the blissful and benevolent life I have been given. As I stood up and greeted my friends, I spared a moment to smile at the freshmen. I wanted to let them know I understood. More importantly, I wanted them to know that they will get through it, just as I have.