Being stubborn is viewed as not being a good trait. But I disagree. Not in the sense of me wanting to have my way, but in the sense that when someone tells me I can’t do something… I’ll prove them wrong.
I have spent my whole life dedicated to basketball. From six a.m. workouts to summer months stuck in a gym, I always loved the game. But I didn’t realize how much until I was sitting on a bench instead of being on the floor during 6th grade basketball. This is where I discovered I loved the game. It’s where I discovered in order to be good at something you need to work at it. It’s where I discovered that nothing is ever given to you.
“Fox get in the game.” Two minutes later. “Fox sit down.” And there I sat. “You’re never going to be able to play if you do that kind of stuff… you dribble too high, you’re selfish, and you can’t shoot.” Tears filled my eyes. This man, this coach, is telling me I can’t do something, I can’t play basketball because I’m not good enough. This scenario continued for the whole winter and spring.
I know that I have a work ethic that is hard to match, and during those winter months is where I was forced to find it. The summer after my sixth grade year I spent every single morning in my driveway. My young five foot something body and face were filled with sweat from the morning heat and my hands were black from the asphalt. Every morning, another one hundred shots to take.
Seventh grade rolled around and I was ready not just for school, but for basketball. It was a new year and I knew I was ready. I ended up becoming the starting point guard and team captain. I’ve always been told by my dad “Whatever you do, do it well, give it 100 percent.” That summer I did that and it has carried on ever since.
I now stand 6 feet tall and look more like a man than I did in middle school. But I have kept the drive to do the best at whatever I do, whether it is school, work, or basketball. Doing my best is what matters and so far I have done just that.