<p>This is for UC Freshmen Prompt #1, "Describe the world you come from for example, your family, community or school and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations."</p>
<p>My AP English teacher absolutely loved it; however, the problem is that she seemed to approve of more than a few of my classmates' essays too. She prefers "stories" and third-person narrative as such that answered the prompt without having to use first-person (i.e., "This experience has shaped my dreams by...."). I asked another teacher who completely hated my essay ahha, telling me too much narrative, not enough "This has affected my dreams and aspirations by...". I have no idea who to trust, and I'm going to ask more people for feedback. Can you guys help a desperate kid please? :( Thank you! Oh, if it matters, the first teacher showed us several past essays and my structure reflects their essays', but please be harsh!</p>
<p>Losing. A moment of indifference. A pulse of disbelief, followed by a searing sensation that is never welcomed and always despised. Losing. Although common on the surface, the word embodies the pain of knowing that significant sacrifice and preparation has been made in vain. It is a defining concept of sports, an aspect directly associated with the lives of numerous young athletes.
Coach questioned our motives for playing basketball on the first day of freshmen camp. As predicted, every kid gave an identical answer: we love basketball.
Why?
Basketball is fun and exciting. It is the best sport in the world.
Laughing mechanically, Coach finally asked, Is losing fun?
What a senseless question, we thought at the time. Of course losing is not fun. Watching the opponent celebrate a win is certainly worse than failing an exam or being grounded. The endless admonishment after a loss falls upon deaf ears; we are too busy hating ourselves. One particular loss has buried itself into my mind.
It is a gloomy day, one full of clouds and tension. The league-deciding game would take place that night. An excitement, an anxiety dominates the campus atmosphere. To the average student, such an event means nothing more than hanging out with friends while displaying school spirit. To the student-athlete, particularly the one who has dedicated early mornings, weekends, and everything in between for the minor recognition as a league champion, the game means so much more. It is the accumulation of an entire season, the anticipation of an entire career. The clock strikes seven. The lights are blinding, the noise is deafening. We play a flawed game, but not one of us would admit that we knew the title was lost as long as there was time on the clock. The final buzzer sounds to the dismay of five hundred people.
A moment of indifference. A pulse of disbelief. Coach ushers the team into his office, hiding the hurt that haunts coaches and players alike.
We gave it our best effort, boys.
Tears run from every one of my teammates faces. All that sweat, all those tears, all the sacrifice, gone. The headlines, the wins, the season. Gone.<br>
Was our basketball season really about winning games?
Was it not? Did we not practice and lift for the sole purpose of winning?
Basketball games do not matter. What you take from the game matters.
It finally hit me. We lost the game, but we were still a band of brothers. We were still the pride of the school, an underdog who exemplifies the result of hard work. The underlying message of that initial exchange became clear: basketball prepares a young man for life. Not every high school athlete reaches the common goal of playing professionally; however, every high school athlete should take something from their athletic experience. They should remember the camaraderie, the dedication, and the passion necessary to succeed. Sports act as a pastime to most people, a hobby to some. To those lucky few, however, it is an experience that prepares you for life.
That loss qualifies as one of the worst pains of my seventeen years on this earth. Nonetheless, it is a pain to embrace as it only intensifies the drive and passion for the next and last basketball season. Whether or not the next four months end with a banner in the rafters is up to how much we want it. A goal is a goal and must be accomplished. Fortunately, such a goal and potential heartbreak only strengthens my ambition to succeed in life. School without the responsibilities and disappointments of a student-athlete? College sounds alluring.</p>