That time of Year…
My favorite month is September. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again I’m sure. The smells, the way the temperatures drop a little, little kids at football practice, you name it I love it all. Not to mention college football starts, pro football starts and baseball gets near playoff time. But my favorite thing about September is that it ends and turns into October when college basketball and high school basketball officially get under way.
Each year I try to watch Hoosiers once to remind myself of the great sport that high school basketball is. I never won a state championship and it bothers me to this day. I played at some large schools and had some great memories but I wanted that state title. All over the country kids have been working hard all summer long for their opportunity to play, whether it be a senior year or freshman year, the time is now. I’m often asked when I started to take basketball serious and it was in 7th grade. I started then at really working hard and developing as a player. I’m a little concerned with kids now who are spending too much time on video games or the computer instead of playing ball outside somewhere.
What it comes down is that you don’t have all the time you think you do. The time flies by and it is never the same. Those of you preparing for high school basketball please realize what a precious time you have at your disposal. I often ask people why so many people are interested in high school sports because I know the answer. The answer is simple…we all wish we were still out there. We all wish the cheerleaders were cheering for us and people were yelling our name. We wish we had that feeling of being in shape and performing in front of large crowds. We want that feeling again of being a part of something bigger than ourselves.
If you are reading this and still in high school, please enjoy it. For those of you that aren’t, get out and watch some games this fall and look back thankfully at those experiences of youth.
