This year, Girls’ basketball has expanded: U14, U15 and U19. Mondays afternoons are for the older ones, U15 and U19, while Thursdays are for the little ones. The basketball season so far has been interesting and very exciting. We’ve played against all kind of teams: good defenders, amazing attackers, from Aylesbury to London, everywhere. Admittedly, it has not bed the kind of excitement that one gets from winning a game as we have not yet had that pleasure, but rather the kind of excitement you get when you are working towards a goal, when victory is so close and it is up to you to grab it!
One hour a week may not seem much, but Coach Carlos always manages to get us sweating after each practise, from lay-ups at the rhythm of the music playing, till the game at the end. We have learned under this new instruction: new techniques, new drills, and new plays. Our approach to the game is different as it usually is: we are being trained physically but more importantly, mentally. Coach insists on us believing in ourselves, but also believing in each other. Team work is essential, and we as a team, are starting to learn that. Many friendships have been formed from the weekly 1 hour practise and bridges of trust have been built, which really show during a game. We’ve learned that co-operation is the key: Basketball is like a three-legged race, if one of you doesn’t run you both lose. The score at the end of the game hasn’t been too important so far, but of course not winning games is frustrating in any sport for everyone.
In order to win, you must want it, deserve it and take it. Nothing comes on a silver plate. “I don’t like losing all the time, I want to win” Coach said once. We have the physical strength growing, but now we have to take the mental strength to the next level, and the only teacher for that can be ourselves: we know the game, we know the rules, What we are now learning by playing is how to live and love the game.
This is our fist year with Coach Carlos. It is the year in which he gets to know us, our strengths and our weaknesses. The year in which he “shapes us up”. You don’t go to the Olympic games without training, you don’t go to an exam without revising, in the same way you don’t win matches without knowing how to. As we said, we are being shaped and moulded into basketball players. We were never expected to be a success in the first year but we have high hopes for the next season. We know what it is to lose, now it’s time for us to win. After all that we have learned from our training and game experience, the only way we can now go is up. For us, the girls, this is the dawn of a new era.
Kumy and Francesca S6, on behalf of the whole team.
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