Pandemic Basketball By Tristen Rawlings
Did you know that basketball is one of the best ways to get through a pandemic? After two and a half years of a pandemic, I have spent nearly 20% of my life in isolation, often not being able to see my friends. I missed interacting with them. Many places were closed down. For more than a year, I could not go to school and had to do online learning. Classes were short and I couldn’t ask questions. It was very stressful because I had to basically teach myself. The only way I could keep my calm and focus to get through my schoolwork and avoid boredom was playing basketball. According to the website https:// www.healthguideusa.org some of the benefits of playing basketball are “flexibility, coordination, and motor function.” Even though I did not always have people to play with, it was fun learning
trick shots and moves that professionals use in games. Learning how to make difficult shots I could not make before was exciting for me. Even if someone does not think they have any skills at basketball, just having a routine and being able to get exercise and get the adrenaline pumping can help anyone. Sharpening my skills at basketball also made me want to compete with my classmates about our grades. It also made me sharpen my skills on doing tricks on my bike and scooter. Even though I used basketball as a way to escape the pandemic, I still play. In fact, I have gotten really good at it. I am planning on playing for my school and hope to play professionally. Having a routine and something to look forward to makes all the difference to my sanity.
TriTris
Tristen will be entering high school in the fall of 2023. He is a first time UE Creative Writing Camp student.
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