overcoming childhood insecurities!
On the anniversary of 3/11, I'm in Tokyo! I spent my afternoon playing basketball with students and adults with learning disabilities as a part of a Special Olympics program and the rest of the day avoiding any kind of tsunami-related dramatic programming.
I haven't touched a basketball, much less attempted to play, since freshman year of high school. It never went well. I also got hit in the face probably at least once a week during that season in gym, and never touched the ball during games ... mostly because I was so awful I just never got passed to.
Anyway, I signed up on a whim because I wanted to be out today, and skimmed over the you should be able to play basketball part. Hella worried since yesterday, but it was just like gym class! Laps around the gym, stretching exercises, drills, shooting practice, and practice games.
I'm bad, to be sure, but not traumatizingly so, and I managed to get in 6 baskets (out of like 20?)... which I think is pretty exciting.
In the last few years I've gotten over a lot of things I used to be bad at or dislike. I can eat all sorts of things that I used to avoid, and actively like a lot of them, too! I failed pretty hard at the bike, but...
Around this time last year, Kuranaga-san who went with me to Vermont said something like, You look like someone who's really good at sports! I laughed and laughed, as it's the furthest thing from the truth, but I'm working toward sucking less, at least. That would be great!
I think I'd still rather play soccer, though.
I haven't touched a basketball, much less attempted to play, since freshman year of high school. It never went well. I also got hit in the face probably at least once a week during that season in gym, and never touched the ball during games ... mostly because I was so awful I just never got passed to.
Anyway, I signed up on a whim because I wanted to be out today, and skimmed over the you should be able to play basketball part. Hella worried since yesterday, but it was just like gym class! Laps around the gym, stretching exercises, drills, shooting practice, and practice games.
I'm bad, to be sure, but not traumatizingly so, and I managed to get in 6 baskets (out of like 20?)... which I think is pretty exciting.
In the last few years I've gotten over a lot of things I used to be bad at or dislike. I can eat all sorts of things that I used to avoid, and actively like a lot of them, too! I failed pretty hard at the bike, but...
Around this time last year, Kuranaga-san who went with me to Vermont said something like, You look like someone who's really good at sports! I laughed and laughed, as it's the furthest thing from the truth, but I'm working toward sucking less, at least. That would be great!
I think I'd still rather play soccer, though.