Since the start of the year, I have been trying to take a little bit of time for myself for some fun exercise. I really enjoyed participating in organized sports growing up and I wanted to get back into something like that. Since I would not be able to compete at track and football wouldn’t be great for my body, I am left with my long-lost love of basketball (a passion that I share with my dad). This was clearly my worst sport growing up as I didn’t have the ball handling skills of the people my height, nor was I close to six feet and a handful of inches. But I played nonetheless for the comradery of the team.
I will not mince words: I was fairly anxious to play pick-up basketball again. I have not run that hard for that long since my first was born. I ended up stretching for a week straight in preparation for my first night back. The gym is about 10 minutes from my house, and it starts at 8pm which is perfect timing – I can help get my daughters to bed before I head out. On the first night the parking lot was PACKED. When I entered the gym people were in the stands and I was even more perplexed, were all these people here to watch men’s basketball? Come to find out the high school gym we use had a game run late… they were not gathering around to watch me after a 3 ½ year hiatus. Whew!
I laced up my basketball shoes and got out on the court hoping to not embarrass myself. I continued to stretch and realized I was going to hurt everywhere the next day no matter what did. The impending pain and soreness didn’t stop me! Playing – was like a rush I haven’t felt in a few years.
Much to my surprise I hit my first two shots (nothing but net, mind you!). I was feeling good and happy I was back at a sport I loved playing. But as I got tired, I sure did toss up an airball to bring me back to reality that my dream of going pro had faded away.
I write this story not to let you know how mediocre I am at basketball – I write this to let you know that you can get back to the activities that you once thought you couldn’t do. I will admit, even with all the stretching, my lovely wife being a Physical Therapist (who also helped stretch me), and ice after… I was still pretty sore for the next few days.
Now I am ready for the next Tuesday night pick-up game.
Until next time…
