I like for me basketball goodbye*

Basketball season just came to an end, and I couldn’t be more happy that I participated this year.

 As you probably know, I am an exchange student, and I came here to experience the most things I can. I have done dance for my entire life, and I was planning to cheer once I came here.

I got to know a few people on the basketball team instead, and they told me how nice the girls are and that I would have loved that environment. So, I decided to join the team. 

I talked to coach Andreassi and he was very excited to have me on the team even if I had zero basketball experience. He was so willing to give me this opportunity just to have fun and make friends. I am so grateful for what he did for me because at this point of the year, I can tell that my experience wouldn’t be the same if I wasn’t on the team. Usually the school teams are very competitive and do not allow any distraction, especially if they are very good like Knoch.

 I am so lucky to have a team that accepts me, appreciates me and makes me feel like part of the team like I’ve always been there(and I actually know how to play).

I had the opportunity to be with these girls every day, 2/3 hours per day for about five months. 

I created great relationships with people that normally I would not talk to, like the freshmen and sophomores that I don’t have any class with. They told me that the girls basketball team was full of amazing people, but I couldn’t imagine something like this. They are the most supportive people I know, they made me feel special and actually able to play every time I was on the court. When I joined the team, I didn’t expect to play at all during games, but the girls are so good that we were up by 30+ points a few times so the coach could put me in. 

For the whole season I had never scored, but the girls were cheering me up every time. 

My best memory is senior night where I got to play more than usual and they called a foul on me so I made two free throws. I was very excited that I started crying on the foul line. The ref and even the girls on the other team were trying to make me calm down. It was a pretty funny scene, I don’t think that someone in all basketball history has ever cried while they were shooting. I missed the first one probably because with tears in my eyes I couldn’t see very well. At that point I was even more anxious because there were 8 seconds left in the game and I knew it was the last time that I would have the opportunity to score. After a few seconds of absolute silence, I made my shot and it went in. I was so happy. My team came up to hug me, the whole student section, the parents, the refs, the other team; they were all cheering for me. It was perfect, there is no other way to describe it. That night was one the highlights of my year here. 

We had an amazing season, we made it to the playoffs, we even played a few State games. 

I am so happy about my choice to join the team, I am grateful for the people I met because of my decision. When I’ll be older and I’ll think back about this year, I’ll definitely think about basketball and I’ll have amazing memories. 

Thank you basketball team.

Ale

*I know the headline doesn’t really makes sense but it’s a joke with my newspaper class.