(S4) - PT #2 - Dual Sport Stars

[ExemplaryChad]

When I was little, one of the first sports I played was soccer. I was just awful. The coach rarely put me in the game because I was such a liability, and when I did get in, it was at the least important positions (for kids, usually defense). I played for three years, from ages eight to ten, and I never got a goal, an assist, or a save. I was so incredibly awkward. I had tried baseball before that, and similarly never got a hit or an out. I did get walked occasionally because I was afraid to swing the bat. It wouldn’t be until my early teens that I would finally start to grow into my body and start appreciating athletics.

At that point, I started getting really interested in basketball. I had to play by myself due to a distinct lack of a social life, so I got good and dribbling and shooting. When I got to high school, I decided to try my hand at competitive play and try out for the team. The problem was, I had never played, watched, or studied the game as a team sport. As a result, I didn’t know any plays or schemes, or anything remotely team-oriented. At tryouts, I embarrassed myself, getting blocked shot after shot. I had also never practiced going against real defenders.

I guess my point is this: I would never consider myself a dual sport star. Football was the first time I actually understood the game well enough to play it competently and competitively. Good thing I found it, eh?

-Haruki Ishigawa


Word count: 267