Chasing the Net through a Court of Defenders I Story By Shaarav, Thane
Shaarav writes about Jake, an aspiring young basketball player who overcomes injury, self-doubt, and mockery from his peers. With support from his coach, he regains confidence, works hard, and leads his team to victory.
Chasing the Net through a Court of Defenders
Jake, an 11-year-old boy
Jake was a young boy of only 11 years. He had ginger hair and was 5’4 with average grades. He often dreamt of becoming a great basketball player like his idol, Kobe Bryant. His parents supported him and let him join his school, which had excellent basketball coaching facilities. He used to train hard every day and stayed back to practice some more.
One day, he got caught in the eyes of his coach, who admired and praised his hard work. The next day, while practising, a senior player joined him and gave him some shooting tips.
“Flick your wrist while taking a shot and complete the action,” he said. Jake tried it, Boom! He scored.
“Bend your knees and jump as high as you can and aim for the back of the rim”. He tried again. BOOM!! He scored again. The senior was happy seeing Jake’s results and left after a while. Jake was pleased with his progress.
Tournament
After some weeks, Jake became dextrous at basketball and was put on the team by the coach. He made a significant impact on the team; they all practised together, improved significantly and started winning the matches they usually lost. The coach was satisfied with the team’s progress, and the team was selected for a major tournament.
During a game, Jake got pushed and rolled his ankle very badly. The doctor suggested that he take a break from basketball for at least two weeks. Even though he was injured, he visited to support his team for the tournament, but they lost. Jake was dejected and wished he hadn’t rolled his ankle.
His mother gently advised him, “It isn’t your fault, Jake. You shouldn’t be disappointed because of just one tournament. You have the potential to win many more in the future.”
“Yes, and remember, you can’t change the past. So, don’t be a victim of the past. Try your best and build a bright future,” added his father.
His ankle healed up, unlike his mood. His parents’ words were comforting, but the disappointment of a failure still lingered in his mind. A week later, his coach informed the team that there would be another tournament in which they would participate. Jake was excited and started training right away. He practised and was motivated to win the tournament.
The Teasing
However, some days later, he suddenly stopped practising altogether. His coach and parents found this sudden change extraordinary and asked him why. Jake told them quietly that the other kids in school thought of him as a weirdo and even teased him over his obsession with basketball. Hearing this, his parents were shocked and speechless.
Coach’s Support
While his coach laughed and said, “Jake, some people are the kind of people who envy what other people have and try to take that away from you. The kids teasing you and making fun of you are the same kind of people. The challenge here is to learn to be ignorant of such people and comments and focus on your goal. After hearing this from his coach, the fire in Jake’s heart and soul burned brighter than ever, and he continued to practice.
The Most Valuable Player
A week later, the tournament came around, and Jake played better than ever. His team won the tournament, and Jake was named ‘The Most Valuable Player’, also known as the ‘MVP Title’. Jake was happier than ever, and his parents were no less proud. His coach congratulated Jake on his victory, and Jake was his team’s hero.
From this story, you can learn many things, such as not to give up and to ignore the people who envy you. Do this and your dream will not be as far away as you think.
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This article is published by Bookosmia, India’s #1 publisher for and by young people. Bookosmia publishes stories, books, podcasts, events, TED-Ed talks, workshops, bedtime stories and more related to kids and young adults.
Photo Credit – Copyright Free, Royalty Free images from Pexels
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