Toughness

      As I started my research, I was looking for something that you catch not just my attention but others as well. While looking through sports articles I came across this one, “Toughness” by Jay Bilas. He is a sports writer for ESPN.com. Just like he says in the article, people seem to have different definitions of toughness. I can promise you that my definition is opposite that of my little sisters. To me toughness is going the extra mile, picking someone up when their down, or simply listening to someone tell you story that makes you want to cringe but you keep listening because you know that you are helping them. Yes, the article is mostly about toughness on the basketball court. However once I read it, there where points he made that could be referred to in our everyday lives.

       The summer before junior year we, the Lady Raider basketball team, went to team camp at Middle Tennessee University. We all were so excited that as soon as we pulled in to register we all jumped off the bus laughing, screaming. Our first game rolled around. Right away we realized that the team we were playing was a tough team. Now when I say “tough” I mean they were a bunch of big, aggressive, in your face girls. The first three minutes were miserable for all of us. Our smiles and good feelings had vanished. Coach called a timeout and we all knew what that meant. It was only a 30 second timeout, but just like always he managed to yell the entire time. It was out ball coming out of the timeout. As we set up our offence I ran to the wing. The wing is located on the left or right side of the court. After receiving a pass and dribbling to the top with my left hand, I was directed to cross over to my right. As I made the cross my right ankle dragged against the floor. As I fell down I lost the ball, which my defender proceeded to take down court for a layup. My coach was in raged. He obviously did not realize what just happened. As the game came to a stop and as I sat there in pain and agony, my teammates came and helped me to my feet. Taking my shoe off revealed my worst fear. I had severely sprained my right ankle. It was black, purple, and blue. I can honestly say it looked like someone had taken a sledgehammer to my ankle. We went back to the hotel before our other two games that day. I spent an hour in my room with my foot in a trashcan of ice water. I couldn’t feel my foot after because the ice made it completely numb. I attempted to play the third game that day and the remainder of the camp. I sometimes still suffer from pain in that ankle but it has become more unnoticeable as I continue to play on it.

Toughness is not about the strongest person in the weight room or the person who can hit the hardest on the football team. Toughness is about doing all the little things someone else wont. It may be making sure you get every rep in or pushing that lineman one more inch so your running back can have just enough space to slip by. Whatever it is, make sure that YOU go the extra mile, that YOU do the small things no one else will. That in my book, is being the toughest person out there.

Family and Sports

It won’t take you long to see that I play basketball and that that is my one and only love. It also won’t take you long to figure out that I am in love with all types of sports too. I feel sometimes that my life is centered around practice and workouts which isn't totally a bad thing; it just takes a lot of time. Over the years I have worked hard to succeed in everything I love. My friends have a hard time understanding my commitment to the sport.

There is only one fixation though that stands in first place in my heart other than basketball, which is God. Everything I do is to the best of my ability and also to give the glory to Him. Basketball has been a superglue to my family and I. Whether it’s going on a four hour drive or driving up the road, my family has always been there and has always been there to supporting me the entire way. My dad has been the biggest supporter. Now don’t get me wrong so has my mom, and she has done a wonderful job of making sure I have had everything I would need but my dad is my biggest fan by far.

About a two years ago we were in Birmingham for an AAU tournament. We had three games lined up in a seven hour window with the possibility of a fourth if we won the previous three. We drove down that morning with an hour before our first game. While putting on my jersey I realized I had forgotten my shoes. OH DEAR!!! Dad told me to finish getting ready. So I did as he said, like I always do. About thirty minutes later he returned with a pair of shoes. Throwing them at me, he told me to put them on. I asked him where he got the shoes but he just told me to put them on and play. We won the game and I gave the shoes back to him. He did not realize that I was watching but he gave the shoes to a woman who gave them to her daughter who was also there playing games. I honestly believe that he is the most fantastic dad I could have ever asked for.

I have worked for eleven years to accomplish my goal which is to play college basketball one day. So far my wish of achieving my goal has come true. There are colleges that have shown interest, of course though not without the help of my dad. This would have not been such a reachable goal had I not had my family there behind me every step of the way. I knew that when I started basketball that my family would be an enormous support. One day I hope to pay back the support and dedication that my family has shown me. Though I know it will take a while, I know that it will be worth it.