Theres More To Bsketball

Ensa Fleurimond

September 27th, 2007

Persuasive

ENGL 102.003

College Writing II

Prof. Stockwell

There's More to Basketball

Basketball has to be one of the greatest sports that exist today. You may think basketball, okay, get the ball in the hole, what a challenge. To me basketball is my life; you could even say it's my passion. There is so much more to basketball than "simply getting the ball in the hole." Basketball isn't just all about competition, it is also about cooperation. The feeling of being on a team and actually having to depend on somebody else doesn't only help build trust and friendships, it helps you communicate, be more dependable and grow better as a person.

Basketball helps reduce violence in the streets. Helps build lifelong friendships. You can keep strong relationships within the families. We take this sport for granted; thinking its all about competition, but basketball becomes more than that. It becomes a way of life and another step closer to change in our world, our society.

A professor was explaining to us how there were some members of a church that went against basketball being played because it was all about competition but in relation to this "competition," he and his father built a great friendship and a great father-son-relationship. Here we see how basketball keeps family together and how it's another form of learning about each other.

Basketball also allows me to get physical. Now I would love to play football. If they ever begin a female league, believe you me, I'll be the first on the field. Since that isn't happening anytime soon I plan on doing as much contact as I can on the court without getting called for a foul. I've had plenty of injuries in my career in basketball from jammed fingers to twisted ankles. Not once did I plan to quit. It only pushed me to play stronger and love the game more.

In basketball we also learn about trusting each other on and off the court. There was this one game where my team captain, Venus was coming down the court with the ball. Clorissa and I are beside her and we are performing the 3 man weave. I got as far as the 3 point line, because the defense is tight. I saw Gio asking for the ball so I asked Venus for the ball and she passed it to me then I passed it down low to Gio but she couldn't get a shot so she passed it to Chantal who realized me and Clorissa are up top cutting through the lane to switch sides. She then passed me the ball and I am open for the 3. With all the communication and trust in each other I was able to make the points.

Then there was another game we were practicing for; we were playing against Charlestown High School, one of the toughest high schools in the district to beat. With the great luck that I carry I jam my finger with the