6th grade. An awkward time for many, even the outgoing. It’s a strange transition going from the safe, closed environment of elementary school, to the imposingly open one of middle school. It was even stranger for me, as I was homeschooled until the 4th grade. My two years at elementary school were spent at two different schools, so I had still yet to fully adjust to school and be comfortable. I was pretty socially awkward, too, but that’s another story.
Right before school started, I noticed that Dunbar was having football tryouts. I had done rec basketball before, but never a “real” sport. Being a huge fan of watching football, I decided I should try and play it. I went to the tryouts in late summer, and I soon realized I might be in over …show more content…
I couldn’t just give up after all of the work I had put in. The practices became more grueling, the team chemistry more distant, and the coach’s barks more animalistic. I was like a journalist viewing the collapse of a professional sports team. I did end up playing in two games, but only for the kickoff squad. Dunbar had been known for greatness, they had gone undefeated just the season before. However, this year was very different. The team chemistry just wasn’t there, and the plays weren’t coming together like they should have. We piled up a mediocre .500 winning percentage, but somehow we were still sent to the city championship, which we disappointingly lost. The taxing season had come to an end, although with a short fade instead of a bang.
Although I haven’t played football since, being a part of that team benefitted me much more than I thought it did. It got me into the best shape I had ever been in my life, and it was a self-confirming experience. I had chosen to be part of something, and I went through with it, despite all the stress it caused me. It showed me a more harsh life than the innocent one I was living before. Overall, although I hated it at the time, playing football shaped me as a person and was one of the best choices I have ever
Right before school started, I noticed that Dunbar was having football tryouts. I had done rec basketball before, but never a “real” sport. Being a huge fan of watching football, I decided I should try and play it. I went to the tryouts in late summer, and I soon realized I might be in over …show more content…
I couldn’t just give up after all of the work I had put in. The practices became more grueling, the team chemistry more distant, and the coach’s barks more animalistic. I was like a journalist viewing the collapse of a professional sports team. I did end up playing in two games, but only for the kickoff squad. Dunbar had been known for greatness, they had gone undefeated just the season before. However, this year was very different. The team chemistry just wasn’t there, and the plays weren’t coming together like they should have. We piled up a mediocre .500 winning percentage, but somehow we were still sent to the city championship, which we disappointingly lost. The taxing season had come to an end, although with a short fade instead of a bang.
Although I haven’t played football since, being a part of that team benefitted me much more than I thought it did. It got me into the best shape I had ever been in my life, and it was a self-confirming experience. I had chosen to be part of something, and I went through with it, despite all the stress it caused me. It showed me a more harsh life than the innocent one I was living before. Overall, although I hated it at the time, playing football shaped me as a person and was one of the best choices I have ever