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Brian lane
Mr. Conrad
ERWC/Period 3
11 April 2016
Basketball changes lives
Basketball is more than just a game. Many people do not know that one game of basketball can
show who a person really is. Whether they are selfish, sharing, smart, passionate and many other
characteristics. Some people think that basketball is just a game and nothing more, however basketball is
more than just a game because basketball teaches you life lessons such as being respectful and honorable
and it teaches you problem solving skills and team work and many other things. Now about the history of
basketball, james Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891. The sport was first played with a
soccer ball and peach baskets and was intended for exercise for football players. Ten of thirteen original
rules still remain however the game of basketball has changed substantially and many things have been
implemented to make it a more diverse and fun sport. Basketball requires the art of dribbling which was
almost not allowed in the sport however, in 1929 the rules committee reversed a decision that would have
outlawed dribbling and slowed the game considerably. This was a very important time for basketball
because it could of ruined basketball and all the people who are inspired by basketball would not have
had anything to be inspired by. I mean some of the worlds greatest basketball players consist of ball
handlers for example, Steph curry, who can dribble his through his opponents with ease. Another
important defining factor that made basketball the way it is today was In December 1936, Hank Luisetti
of Stanford revealed the one-handed shot to an amazed Garden audience and became the first major
collegiate star. With the addition to the one-handed shot, many players had a variety of moves and shots
they could do which made watching the game of basketball exciting. Learning how to become a full
complete team will heighten your chances of true success. Paul davis who is an author and motivational
trainer gives seven secrets that direct you to having a positive attitude towards sports and to having true
team spirit. These seven secrets are, 1. Uphold and honor the team effort above individual

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performance, while remembering a solid collective performance from individual players

contributes to the quality of the team. 2. Harness your tongue and avoid complaining,
remembering that noisy negatives distract from the team focus and goals. 3. Lay your ego down
so the team can succeed and abound. 4. Honor and acknowledge every team member's vital
contribution. 5. Encourage and empower every teammate to succeed. 6. Practice as passionately
as you expect to play on game day. 7. Attend to the devil in the details. Defeat happens because
of little mistakes that prove costly. So lets start with what number one is basically stating. It
states that you should always play for your team and not yourself. Always show that you take
pride in what your team does as a whole and not just in yourself. Number two states that you
should not get angry and should keep your mouth shut if you do not have anything nice to say.
Complaining and talking trash to players is not the way to go, it will only escalate into much
bigger problems and will also distract your team from playing the best they can play. Number 3
states that You should always be yourself and show your team who really are so then they can
know how you play and where you are gonna be on the court and basically what you are
thinking. Its called chemistry, a connection between players to where the players know exactly
what the other player will do or be on the court. Number 4 states that you should value and honor
every teammate for what they bring to the team whether it be rebounding or shooting or
dribbling. Everyone has one thing they are best at and you should always tell them how proud
you are and how thankful you are to have them on your team. Number 5 states that you should
encourage your team to play the best they can and to empower every teammate to make them
feel like part of the team. For me, i was the only kid on my team who was aggressive, who would
dive for a ball and get rebounds when no one else would. I encouraged my team through my
actions on the court. There is a quote that kinda goes like this Basketball can change someone

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inside and out, if you are empowering and noble on the court then you will be both those off the
court (Jordan). So all in all you should act respectful and responsible on the court because it
does have some power in the kind of person you will be off the court. Number 6 is very simple,
play in practice as hard as you would play in a game. People say practice makes perfect, but it
does not. Perfect practice makes perfect and i am speaking from experience. Last but not least
number 7 may be the most important one, pay attention to the devil because the littlest mistake
could cost the team the win. For example, i was in a game and we were down by one point. We
scored and we were up by one point now. They shot a lucky three pointer and drained it however
when the buzzer went off one of their players shouted out yall f***ing suck. He got a
technical and we drained both free throws and we won because that one kid made one small
mistake that cost him and his team the win.
A big defining factor in basketball is race. Are you black or white? Why do african
americans dominate the world of basketball, well heres a little known fact. Most african
american kids grow up in the ghetto and basketball is all they have.

Anyone who knows the game of basketball would say

that the talent of these young kids is shown out of a
much simpler reason: to be better than the kid who
lives in the house down the road, or the kid that lives in
the hotel room above yours. In the ghettos, the
person that shows himself to be amazing at
basketball becomes a local legend. To be
amazing at basketball earns you loads of respect
and other kids start to admire you while you also

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have an influence on the kids to. And every week, you are presented with the chance to increase
your amazing status by taking to the court and destroying your kid competitors. So most African
american kids do not think about the NBA when they are playing and growing up till around high
school when they realize they are predominantly better than most kids their age. They think
about surviving and getting respect, because the more respect and adoration you have the more
safe and popular you are. So, why are african americans usually more great at basketball than
white kids? Well it is probably because Most black kids are poor and the only thing they can
afford to do is basketball so therefore they start playing at a very young age and they do not
realize they are training themselves to become legendary maybe one day while the average white
kid may play basketball but not every day of their childhood and besides studies show that white
kids are usually more wealthy. So they tend to spend their time playing other sports that cost
more money for equipment and what not. So basically african americans grow up with basketball
on a day-to-day basis while on the other hand white people grow up with many other
opportunities and chances due to wealth. In todays world African americans dominate basketball
and many other sports. While basketball saved some poor african american kids, they grew up to
be pro players and now have a huge influence on other kids as well. Pro player Michael jordan
has always been a prodigy and legend in basketball. Jordan shaped the way basketball was
played and he was also the first ever player to win the NBA MVP award three years in a row. He
also has donated much of his money to charities and is also one of the first players to enjoy
endorsement deals with Nike, Hanes, Gatorade, and others. He was an inspiration to many
people and other Pro players today. However Michael Jordan was cut from the varsity squad his
sophomore year of high school which is must be pretty sad to the coaches who cut him to see
how he turned out in todays world. I mean one of the worlds greatest basketball players did not

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make his highschool team. This shows how people can diverse and become whoever they want
to become.

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Basketball will always be more than a game and will always shape peoples lives based
on the way they play the sport. Many of the pro players know that basketball can change a
person and michael Jordan said a little something like this Everyone
who plays basketball knows its more than just a sport, more than just
a hobby and more than just a passion that people have. All types of
people enjoy the game because of how it makes them feel and the joy
associated with playing. The philosophy and emotions associated with
the game makes it my favorite past time. The qualities and lessons
learned while on the court have helped me understand many
individuals and their struggles and gains. This shows that basketball
will help you better understand peoples struggles and how hard their lives have been and
sometimes what they have gone through to get where they are today in the world. In my life
basketball has proved to be a life-saver for me. I grew up in foster care all my life and went
through many hardships but i endured and came out on top playing varsity basketball for my
high school as a team captain. It changed the way I act in everything I do such as being noble
and showing respect for other people. Also appreciating the little things people do for me is one
important lesson basketball has taught me. At the end of the day, Basketball will never leave and
will always be around to help people become better people and live better lives. It will continue
to be an inspiration and somewhat a guide for people. Basketball is waiting for all the helpless
kids out there, all they need to do is just grab a ball and start practicing and their lives will be
changed forever. This shows how basketball is more than just a sport and how basketball can
change the way people act and live their lives.
Works cited and images:

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BubblesSJ3. "Michael Jordan Fun Facts and Trivia." Funtrivia. N.p., n.d. Web.
http://www.funtrivia.com/en/Sports/Michael-Jordan-7627.html

"Michael Jordan Fast Facts." CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/03/us/michael-jordan-fast-facts/
"Basketball History." Basketball History. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
http://www.basketballsbest.com/DatesBasketballHistory.htm
Schwarz, Alan. "Study of N.B.A. Sees Racial Bias in Calling Fouls." Nytimes. Nytimes, n.d. Web.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/02/sports/basketball/02refs.html
"Racial Discrimination in Sports." Escapist Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/528.382460-Racial-discrimination-in-sports?
page=2
Altman, Susan. "The NBA, African Americans Love This Game." Welcome To "Voices That Guide
Us" Personal Narratives. The Encyclopedia of African-American Heritage, n.d. Web. 22 Apr.
2016.

http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/nba-african-americans-love-game

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