More Than a Game

Eduardo Lievanos Medina
English 1A
March 16, 2013

                                                                 More Than a Game



Playing basketball gives you the most exuberant feeling that can not be matched by any other sport in the world.  The feeling you get as you walk out onto the court is indescribable.  The pole lights lighting up the court, friends shooting balls simultaneously just feels like freedom you can not find anywhere else.  You can never go wrong with a small game of basketball because it gets competitive, it is a stress reliever, and there is no interruptions.
Imagine going out to the court feeling the fresh air hit your face and seeing the sun setting in the evening sky.  Who does not like that feeling?  That is exactly what happened when I was just getting ready to play a game of basketball downtown with a few friends.  There is countless reasons why you can not go wrong with a small game of basketball.    One of the many reasons is it gets really competitive.  It is a good thing because competitiveness makes the game that much more exciting.  Everybody wants to win and winning in a basketball game is even better.  It is a sport that requires very small teams so it will get really competitive, unlike other sports where teams are really big so it gets really boring.  As I ran back and forth across the court from basket to basket I felt everybody was focused. As I’m calling out for the ball every time we go on offense, every time it comes to me it gives me a feeling of power which everybody likes to feel.  One of my close friends guarding me, I see sweat dripping down his face as he is staring right into my eyes determined to steal the ball from me.  Knowing I have the ball makes me feel I have the possession and the game is in my hands, it gives you a feeling of responsibility as if the fate of humanity is in your hands.  While in the end there is a winner and a loser it is still worthwhile because everybody had fun.  Playing the game competitively will erase everything else in your mind,
If you are stressed out or having a bad week, all you have to do is play basketball outside and get everything off your mind.  While playing basketball, the game is so fast there is no time to think about other things.  It is a stress reliever unlike other sports that are going on too slow and there is pauses.  For example, in football there is a pause almost every eight seconds so it doesn’t really relieve stress and it also makes the game boring.  The same example can be used for baseball.  In contrast, as I’m playing basketball I’m running back and forth the whole time, maybe there will be pauses from time to time but not as much.  When there is pauses I use it to catch my breath to be ready to continue when the game resumes.  Playing in the evening seeing the sun set, the sky slowly turning red, and fresh air blowing down my back is just the feeling of calmness that makes you forget everything going on in your life.  Even seeing the ball go through the basket and swish through the net gives you such a feeling of serenity you can not describe.  It is a perfect way to clear your mind.  The best part is we continue playing until we can not go any more and there is never any interruptions.
Finally, playing basketball feels great because there are never any interruptions.  It’s a basketball court that no one uses but us so there is never anyone telling us to leave.  There is no obstacles like kids running around getting in the way or other people trying to play at the same time as us.  Also there is never any inconveniences such as something happening to the ball or  basket.  In baseball you can always have the ball go too far after batting it, in football you can have a wet field making it almost impossible to play.  In basketball you don’t have to worry about something happening to the ball or something being wrong with the court, as long as you have both of those things  you can play all day.  So if you are looking to do something where you will not have any inconveniences I recommend basketball.
There are many things you can do to have fun, but if you want to have a great time, spend absolutely no money, and make it worth the time then a small game of basketball will do.  The fact that it gets really competitive makes it fun and exciting.  It will give you  a feeling of calmness and serenity that will take things off your mind for a while.  Also when there is no interruptions during a game will allow the game to flow smoothly therefore making it fun.  This is why it can not be compared to playing any other sport and these are the reasons why playing basketball is the best activity you can do that will give you the exhilarating feeling you wont find anywhere else, it is worth it.