Three Words: Finger

Now, to finish the Three Words entry, I am writing about the last word in the series that represents another one of my passions, one of the greatest and most popular sports ever created: BASKETBALL. I know what some some of you might think upon reading the word finger (Oh yeah, you green-minded ones), but I used this word to represent the sport mainly because one needs to use his/her fingers to shoot the ball in the goal. Plus, it rhymes with my other two words, shutter and trigger. Okay, enough with the explanations and the excuses, I'm starting to sound a bit defensive already.

Finger

For most of the little boys, especially in the later generations, basketball is part of everyday life. Most, at an early age, have become familiar with the rules, the trends and the big names of the sport. Well, I am not one of those boys. I was not interested in basketball, I didn't want to play basketball. In fact, I hated it. My time was spent drawing and sketching, making my own comics and stuff, watching cartoons and animated TV shows when I was just a kid. I was mainly interested in art (a passion I'd always have but seldomly use in the recent years - a passion which can also be represented by the word finger). My mind was so blown and fascinated by the vibrant colors and creative images of comic strips, cartoons and animation, that all I ever wanted was to draw. I had to admit, my greatest dream still would be the dream that I used to motivate myself when I was still a growing child, that ultimate dream of mine is to become an animator or an illustrator. I have never imagined myself becoming a professional basketball player. Well, that never happened. Both of it.

Basketball entered my life when I was in fifth grade, when my classmates listed me up in the class's basketball team for the intramurals, probably just because I was one of the tallest guys at that time. I didn't even know how to play the game. I know the aim is to shoot the ball into the hoop. That's it! I was almost as dumb as a dog trying to meow. I didn't even know how to shoot the ball!

Since then friends and neighbors were inviting me to play for a league or a team, again, that's because of my height. They always put me in the center position. During my first years of playing basketball, all I did was rebound. Once I get the ball, I'd wait for the point guard to get to me then I hand him the ball...job's done.

When I entered high school, that's the turning point of my love for basketball. I became friends with these guys that I really never thought to be basketball enthusiasts. One is very good in lay-ups, one is in dribbling and shooting the ball. They try to teach one another the skills that they're good at, and they try to teach me and our other friends, too. From there I started to familiarize myself with the rules and the different aspects of basketball. I started to become interested in watching basketball games like the NBA and the PBA. And since then, I try to improve by joining teams in different leagues.

When I got to college, I tried out for my school's varsity team. I never made the cut. But that experience just gave me a different dimension to my game. I am not really that comfortable with playing the center position. I discovered that I am a natural guard. I play best in the shooting guard or small forward position. At half-inch shy of being a 6-footer, I am pretty big for the position in small-time amatuer basketball leagues. I am not really good, but my love and dedication for the game has given me some acheivements. Something I wish I have accomplished when I was still a young boy. I was thankful, nonetheless, that I was able to achieve them. Maybe I was just a late-bloomer.

Up until now, even though I hardly played the game for about a year now, basketball has always been, and will always be, a love and a passion that I will share and play with my neighbors, my friends, my cousins, my brother and my dad.