..that the transition from high school to league basketball is just a crazy phase, and the probability that you will drop out of sports is high at this stage. I asked a friend what really has challenged her ever since she started playing league at the university and she reverted that the pain of ripping away her high school stardom has not been easy on her. To be honest, personally the same pressure developed over time and only to findout that almost everyone experiences it, is a little bit consoling huh.
We used to crack jokes in Rukiga, “Okulya entebbe” direct translation meaning “Eating the bench” and literal translation to mean “benched” on the game day. This is a sick reality that hits you hard and slowly eats away your emotions, if not careful, your decision-making will be based on this reality. When I got signed into playing for a team in Rwanda, I was very excited; you know, first time out of high school, all the excitement of joining a team in the league. Little did I know that I would never get to play a single game not to mention a friendly. I was as useless as the g in lasagna. My mind started playing hockey so I was all over the court, increased my training time and tried to learn Kinyarwanda (I had fears that the coach wasn’t fielding me because I could barely comprehend the language beyond amakulu) all in self denial. Weeks down the road, my spirit was shattered like glass and had I not returned to Uganda due to COVID 19, I would have dropped the sport. A month into Uganda, I decided to pick up my broken pieces from the floor where I had left them to hit the court once again. I could barely make a push-up or recall how to handle the ball but I was at the top of my workouts by end of the year.
It’s crazy how in high school, one is on the team’s starting 5; the team’s clutch, captain, the commanding voice of the team but ooooops, the league will slice your confidence significantly, primarily because of the high expectations you have carried. Uganda Basketball League games are on; the NBL, Division I & II, and it’s pitiful looking at young talent get frustrated over getting one minute of playing time. Players turn up with high expectations, “I was MVP in high school,” “I was never benched in my high school,” “I was the best shooter in my high school,” but alas!
Let’s not lose FOCUS. A number of people have run away from the sport because they can’t stand the sight of themselves on the bench. Isn’t that what they call running away from your fears? Yes, that’s giving up! I am not sure what a friend did in a week, but her playing time miraculously shifted from 3 – 5 minutes to approximately 20 minutes. She may have prayed, but her defense drastically improved, and the coach couldn’t think of any better player when a defensive play was needed. Most probably behind closed doors, she was working on her sliding and defensive play. Put in the work! It may not reflect in the next game, but practice never lies. You can’t keep riding on old glory like one of the EPL teams. Wake up and develop a competitive spirit. If your shots are the problem, get to the court an hour before the rest of the team and shoot your hands off. Giving up has never been a solution. Work hard at it, even in the face of sitting on that bench.
Just to say; Sometimes the only and best thing to do is give up, and that would still be okay, but what is the ideal outcome of this situation for you?
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