Dear Basketball,

What does one say to someone who has been a constant companion almost my whole life? We first met when I was three years old. I look back now and realize just how young I was. I never dreamed then that we would be together this long. From those earliest clinics and camps when I learned the basic fundamentals, you have taught me so much.

In addition to learning how to play, I learned the importance of teamwork. You taught me to divide the burdens and share the joy with a team. You taught me that not everyone thinks alike, plays alike, looks alike, and that is ok. You taught me that there are times when people of all backgrounds can come together and share moments of competition and camaraderie.

You taught me to respect myself, my teammates, my opponents, my coaches, and the game. You taught me that winning means nothing if it isn’t done with integrity and compassion. You taught me to be as fierce a friend off the court as a player on the court. You taught me that friends can be opponents, and opponents can be friends. You taught me the importance of winning with class and losing with grace. You taught me it’s ok to want to win and that beating someone doesn’t mean beating them down.

You taught me what it means to have a strong work ethic. You taught me that 40 minutes on the basketball court is the smallest part of the sport. You taught me that the time put in to a game, the conditioning, the practicing, the studying is so much more important. You taught me that nothing in life comes without a price. You taught me to prioritize and to manage time. You taught me that athletics are nothing without academics. You taught me to appreciate every athletic moment one is given because one injury can take it all away in an instant. You taught me that the hardest worker is not always the most successful player, but that hard work always pays off.

You taught me lessons that I will carry with me throughout life. You taught me how to get along with others even if we don’t always agree. You taught me to respect coaches just as I will need to respect colleagues. You taught me that there is a difference between an opponent and an enemy. You taught me to look at how many ways we are like instead of how many ways we are different. You taught me that competition can bring out the best in people, and that every minute, every task, every idea should be performed to the best of one’s ability.

As much as you have given me, it is now time to determine what I can give you. To paraphrase John Kennedy, it is time to ask not what basketball has done for me, but what I can do for basketball. I have coached a young rec ball team. I tried to show these young boys how to play hard and have respect for themselves, their team, their coaches, and their parents. I tried to show them how to love a sport respectfully, embrace the fun and competition of it, and to give it more than they ever expect to gain from it. As I move forward as a coach, I want to see my teams gain from you what I have gained. You made me appreciate my opportunities. You made me a competitor. You made me a classy winner. You made me a gracious loser. You made me a strong woman, and I thank you.
 
Love,
Allison Ball
UVa-WIse