“Growing up, I was a shy kid and I didn’t have many friends. As soon as I got into high school I saw that basketball was the popular sport. I said, ‘maybe it’ll be a good outlet for me.’ I got lucky to make the team — I barely played — but I liked the fact that I was part of something; I was part of a group. When you participate in team sports, you’re getting more. You’re getting a whole social “award” — it’s something that you can’t buy, it’s something that you can only get from the people around you. It’s priceless. Basketball helped me become more vocal, it helped with my self-esteem, my confidence… it also helped me health wise. It motivated me to stay disciplined. I remember in elementary school, I was always below average. Come high school, I had to reach a certain average to keep up with my sports. So there are many benefits to join sports and be active. If it weren’t for basketball, I don’t know where I’d be today.”
Category: People