Swish - Ranvir Thapar Week 15
Growing up my parents put me almost every sport they could. I tried soccer, volleyball, swimming, badminton, tennis, you name it I tried it. None of them really clicked, either I couldn’t get the hang of it, or I just wasn’t having any fun; and then they signed me up for our basketball lessons at our local recreation center. After trying so many different sports, there was something about the game of basketball that just clicked with me and if you were to ask 5 year old me what that was, I would simply answer, “I like the sound of the swish.”
To this day, I stand by that statement. Even now, if anyone were to ask me what my favorite sound effect is, it’s a basketball going through the hoop, hitting nothing but net. Even though I don’t play at a high level anymore the memories I’ve made and the experiences I’ve had have molded me into the person I am today.
I was never the best on the team, I wasn’t the most accurate shooter, I was definitely not the biggest on the court, the only thing I had was that I wanted it more than any other guy on the floor. I used to get leveled by big 6 foot dudes who thought I had no business guarding them and that taught me my biggest life lesson. Almost everything comes down to who wants it more and god knows nobody wanted it more than me.
That’s the beauty of sports, it keeps you healthy and provides you with an opportunity to learn and experience things you can’t replicate. For that I’ll always be thankful to my parents because playing basketball for over 10 years competitively was the best experience of my life. I’ll never forget the close games, heart breaking losses, wild comeback wins, and timeless life lessons that I’ll remember for a lifetime.
Hi Ranvir!
ReplyDeleteI’m glad that you were able to find a physical outlet that you loved, like basketball! I was never very athletically inclined. I used to spend my time (and still do) watching different movies and TV shows. My sister was really into swimming when she was in high school, though, so I think that might count for something. I remember asking her why she liked swimming so much. She told me that whenever she hit the water, she felt a rush like no other. I personally can’t say the same as her. My rush comes from sitting in my room watching whatever I please on my laptop. The only physical activity that I find myself gravitating towards is walking. I live near a trail, so I usually take an evening walk almost every day with my headphones. I think that childhood activities are integral for forming your identity. My love of walking stems from walking with my mom every night after she came back from work. I enjoy walking because it allows me to regulate my emotions and calm my mind. My activities usually are things that help me calm down. I think that having hobbies and activities that allow you to decompress help you to become a better person. While I definitely know that I am not the best at a lot of things. I definitely agree with your sentiment of wanting something bad enough. Motivation and discipline are what makes the greats great, not skill. Great blog!
Hey Ranvir! Unlike you, I’ve never been good with sports, so shooting a basketball wasn’t exactly something I liked. Watching basketball is nice though, something I’ve come to enjoy after years of watching the NBA with my dad during dinner. I definitely admire athletes, facing off against people much taller or faster than you has to be terrifying, but it’s impressive how they still manage to win despite disadvantages. Fiery and intense games do seem like so much fun to just be at, and are probably even more exhilarating to be participating in. It’s also nice how accessible basketball is; all you need is a hoop and a basketball, and you’re set for hours of fun.
ReplyDeleteI’m curious about whether you tried golf or not, as it’s not exactly as accessible as the other sports you listed. How ironic—the unathletic person enjoying an “unathletic” sport. But it’s a lot different from many typical sports, with games taking place in lush hills with a slower pacing that create such a different experience. For me, the thwack! from a solid shot is just as satisfying as a net splash, but I don’t think I’ll ever get super hyped from hitting ball after ball across great expanses of green grass.
Hi, Ranvir. I remember you playing in Thornton, and this blog brought back many happy memories of middle school. Fun fact, I saw a picture of the old Thornton coach for the girls basketball team on the wall of one of my teachers from when she was his student. That definitely threw me off but I think it is so, so, so cool. I don’t think, at that age, she could ever imagine having the opportunity to go back to her old middle school and coach her favorite sport. I also remember how seriously the crowd took games at Thornton and I could only imagine how much more it would have meant to the actual players. I can also remember some of my friends at Thornton were so sure that they would make it to the NBA and, years later, they obviously don’t think so. Regardless of the problems, whether it’s height, competition, time, resources, etc., I’m sure you and them felt pretty devastated slowly realizing your dream probably wouldn’t work. Regardless, I think you can take that dedication to your current and future endeavors and find another hobby or passion in which you can exert that same dedication to. It’s also very cool that we live so close to the Warriors stadium, especially because they’re actually a good team. On a slight tangent, I remember reading somewhere that Steph Curry was getting some backlash for not wanting affordable housing built on the property next to his, in Atherton, because they would have a direct view into his home. Which, personally, I don’t think is crazy at all.
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