There isn't one sport that I was extremely good at. I've got long legs that consume my entire body, so naturally our school's track coach thought that I could be a runner. After huffing and puffing around the track and finding out that hurdles are the enemy, I realized that track wouldn't be my thing.
Maybe these long legs meant that I would have some "ups"? My dad was always really good at basketball (and still is)...maybe some of that same gene had ended up in my DNA? Our house always had a basketball hoop set up and I had been playing H-O-R-S-E ever since I could remember (I have a really decent shot and have won many games of H-O-R-S-E in the past....it's only when I have a defender on me that I panic). Though there were countless camps, summer leagues, skill courses and practices I never was quite confident at that stupid game. I know I was one of those girls that was always afraid of getting hurt...God forbid I scrape my knee or break a bone. But you've got to hand it to me, I definitely stuck with it and I tried. Finally, after making it through Freshman and JV basketball I had decided enough was enough. I stopped torturing myself and didn't try out for Varsity. Meanwhile, my EXTREMELY athletic, never-afraid, talented little sister was doing my dad proud and blasting a path of her own in our high school; becoming one of few freshman moved up to JV and then the even more rare, a sophomore moved up to Varsity. I lived vicariously through her on that front from that point forward.
Softball: again, I was afraid. This time out of genuine concern, considering the fact that I had already been smashed in the chin by a pop-fly while playing outfield during summer ball. I looked like an extremely bruised Jay Leno for weeks. When they stuck me in the balls-flying-at-my-face (that's what she said) catcher's position I knew I was done.
It wasn't until I played volleyball that I actually enjoyed myself. It was a sport that came almost naturally for me, and one that I found I could trust my instincts on - I didn't even have to think about the motions. Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't a star player or anything, but for the first time I found myself on the starting lineup and having some shining moments out on a court. I had a pretty mean serve, I didn't feel like I was going to hurt myself, I enjoyed the team aspect and I LOVED to hit the ball. From high school Varsity, to beach volleyball, to college IM, to Wednesday night leagues. Volleyball made, and still makes, me happy.
A funny memory for my tidbit today: One of my most vivid memories from basketball (and one of the stories my extremely athletic sister LOVES to tell over and over....and over), comes from a game our team played against our rivals, Pinconning. I'm not sure what the score was or whether or not what I did really effected the outcome of the game, all I know is what I did was probably the most embarrassing thing that could happen. Somehow I managed to come out on top in a toss-up...and, in a burst of excitement I decided to take off on a sprint toward the basket. This would have been a-mazing, had I decided to chose the right basket. There I was, headed for a breakaway layup on the wrong side of the court. It hadn't dawned on me that there were no defenders, heck no, I thought that it was due to the fact that I was moving so fast they couldn't catch me. I also mistakenly thought that the crowd was cheering me on, missing out on the fact that they were screaming "WRONG WAY!" and "NOOOO!" Then, just when most thought it couldn't get any worse...I attempted to score a point for our rivals. Yup, attempted. Because not only did I run the wrong way on the court but I also missed a defense-less, wide open layup (okay so maybe my shot wasn't THAT good). Awesome. It's a good thing I can laugh at myself, because I've done a lot of laughing about this since it happened! I only wish there was video of it....
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