Basketball was always more than just a game to me. I loved going to practice, learning new plays and of course hanging out with my teammates. The only part I didn’t like was the running part and everyone knew it. I will admit that I was not the fastest one on the team, but I was always the first one to fill up an empty water bottle or grab the ball bag. I was not the best player on the team, but I was very supportive, encouraging and helpful. I might not have been the most valuable player, but I was definitely a valuable teammate. I am so thankful that I fell in love with such an awesome sport. I thank God every day for allowing me to play basketball and learn so much from it. It wasn’t always easy, but it was definitely worth it.

1. Basketball taught me how to be a coach and how to be coachable. I was lucky enough to be able to coach elementary basketball, which gave me more respect for my coach, because coaching is not easy.

2. It taught me the importance of punctuality. My coach would always say, “If you’re early, you’re on time, but if you’re on time, you’re late.”

3. It taught me how to be responsible for my own actions, because you can’t blame anyone but yourself when you get a foul called on you. Although sometimes, I would get a foul when I was sitting on the bench, but that’s how life works sometimes.

4. It taught me how to have patience, because if you tried to force a play or a shot, they never worked out.

5. It taught me how to work well with others, because you had to play as a team, if you wanted to win.

6. It taught me the value of loyalty and trust, because if you didn’t have faith and trust in your teammates, you would never be able to be successful.

7. It taught me how to be competitive and work hard, because nothing in life comes easy especially winning.

8. It taught me the importance of respect, because you had to respect the other teams, your coaches and the referees. If you didn’t respect them, nobody respected you.

9. It taught me the importance of being humble, because the score was constantly changing. And if you were too cocky, nobody wanted to play with you.

10. It taught me how to be fair and play fair, because nobody likes a cheater.

11. Most importantly, basketball taught me the value of perseverance. The game itself and life are not easy, but I never gave up. I am so glad that I fell in love with such an amazing game and I am so thankful for all the lessons that it has taught me. I couldn’t imagine my life without basketball. I can’t wait until I get the chance to teach my children all about basketball, because after all, it’s the best sport in the world.