The Lies Got Me to Where I Am | Teen Ink

The Lies Got Me to Where I Am

September 30, 2016
By hs023 BRONZE, Hemet, California
hs023 BRONZE, Hemet, California
3 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Everything he said was just lies. It all started when I was on my travel basketball team. It was almost the summer going into Freshman year. I was at my practice when the high school coach that most of my team members were going to have walked in. He watched our practice and even helped some of the girls out. He didn’t say anything to me,but i just assumed it was because he didn’t know me. After practice he approached my mom and I and asked who I was and what high school I was attending. When and I told him my high school he said you should come play for me. I just laughed and said no. The coach was coming to all our practices now and after all of them he would tell me how good I was. When July came my team and I had our biggest tournament of the year and also the last time we would all play together for the travel team. It was bitter sweet. The coach had come all the way out to Las Vegas to watch us in this tournament. My team members were nervous for him to see them play,but for me I had nothing to lose because that wasn’t my coach. Our first game we won. I had played really good and the coach made it a point to tell me how good I did. The next day at our game we had won again. And again I had a good game. We had a big break before our next game. My Dad had invited the coach to come to lunch with us. As we sat at the restaurant the coach talked to my parents about basketball. He told them how I would make a great addition to his young team. And how good we would be as a team after playing travel together for four and a half years. As he continued to talk he said that if i went to play for him I would be a starting freshman on varsity. And to me at that time really had me start to think how bad I wanted to be starting on varsity my freshman year,but I kept that to myself. After the coach left my dad asked what i thought about everything he was saying. I just said that i wasn’t sure.When our tournament ended we came in third place which was good. After that tournament I had not to long before my  freshman year started. My parents and I really started to think about everything that coach said and by the end of the conversation I decided playing for that coach would be my best choice.It was one of the hardest decisons I had made at that point. I hated the fact that i was leaving all my friends and basically had to start all over again. A few days later my mom contacted the coach to see how we could start the process to get me transferred to the school he coaches at. The coach responded almost instantly telling her manys ways to get me transferred. He told my mom how happy he was to have me coming to the school and how great of a potential I would have there. The coach told my mom about how we were playing in a summer league and gave her practice times and days. The first practice I was so nervous on the way to the school my stomach was in knots my hands began to sweat a little,but their was no turning back now I was already enrolled at the school. Walking into the gym I took a deep breath and told myself everything was going to be fine. When walked in everyone just stared as if they saw a ghost. I just kept walking towards where the coach was standing. He told me to start shooting around so i grabbed a ball and went to a basket where no one was at. A couple minutes later one of the girls from my travel team came up to me and asked what i was doing there. I told her how i decided to come here. That first practice went good and when i got into the car i told my mom that i made a good decision to go there. Summer league went good as well i was playing a lot and playing good too. The coaches really liked me too. Everything was perfect or that’s what i thought. School started and i was making friends quick which made me happy. I had practice after school everyday and never missed one. As we started to get into practicing a lot i started to notice that the assistant coaches had favorites and i wasn’t one of them. With seeing that it just made me work even harder so that i could be a favorite. I never complained and would do whatever the coaches told me. Practices continued and we started to learn plays. The coach picked his starting five to run the plays first. I waited to hear my name to be called and he never did. Disappointment came into my head i didn’t understand how someone who works so hard wasn’t part of the starting five and girls with bad attitudes,misses practices,and leaves practices early were picked over me. When i got into the car after practice I told my dad about what happened and how i wasn’t part of the five and he told me not to worry about it that it’s just practice. Practices after I still wasn’t part of the five,but i just kept saying it’s just practice. We finally had a game and i was excited to play I knew it was my time. The coach called the same five that he had been picking at practice to be the starters. My heart dropped when i wasn’t part of the five. I didn’t think i was entitled to one because he told me i would have one,but i was working harder than half of those girls so it was a huge slap in the face to not be called. I sat on the bench waiting to hear my name be called up,but I just kept watching the clock wind down. Finally he called me in with two minutes left and by then i didn’t play to good because i was trying to think of what i did wrong to only play two minutes. When the game was over I got in the car and my dad started asking me what i did wrong to only play two minutes. I started to cry and told him i didn’t do anything i work harder than all of them. He didn’t believe me and thought i didn’t play because i was slacking off. At the next couple of practice i continued to work hard and my dad started coming to watch and saw i was working hard. Finally we had two games and i was ready to play. Once again i wasn’t in the starting five the same girls with bad attitudes,miss practices,and leave practices early were playing before me. I looked at the stands at my dad with disappointment and he did the same. The first game i played three minutes and the second game i played barely any. Both my parents and I were so mad that my dad told me we weren’t staying for the team talk and we were just leaving. We talked in the car and my dad told me that he knew i was working and shouldn’t be sitting the bench that the coach was just a joke.We continued to talk and i told my parents i couldn’t do this a whole season. And they agreed with me and gave me the option to go back to the school i originally was suppose to go to. I told them i wanted to leave the school and go back to the school i’m suppose to go to. Immediately my mom texted someone at the school i’m suppose to go to and asked if they had try-outs yet. He texted back saying try-outs were in two weeks and that they were having open gym on Wednesdays. That Sunday my mom got all my papers organized so that on Monday she could get me transferred back to where i’m supposed to go. Monday came and my mom went down to the school and got me disenrolled. I didn’t go to school that day nor did I go to practice. After missing that one practice people started texting my mom why i wasn’t at practice and she just told them I was sick. Tuesday came and i my mom enrolled me to the school i was suppose to go to. That night the coach called my dad saying was i okay and why i hadn’t been going to practice. My dad told him that i wasn’t going there anymore because of not only the lies he fed us,but that someone working as hard as i was to barely play any. And the coach said that he was sorry and that he was trying to help out a trouble maker girl. My dad told him that that has nothing to do with my daughter and that we were done and i was already enrolled at the other school already. The coach then texted me saying how sorry he was and how he has let the team down. I responded saying i thought that was a good fit for me,but i guess not. And i never heard from that coach again. Wednesday was my first day at the school i was suppose to go to and i was nervous. The day went good i got to see all my friends again. I got sixth period basketball and i was so scared walking into that class i walked into the gym and i knew some of the girls, but they were all so welcoming. That night i walked into open gym and introduced myself to the coaches. And i had such a good practice. Two weeks later it was the day of try-outs and i was so ready. After two days of me working so hard and having good practices it was the day the list to see what team you were on came out. After first period i weaved through the crowed of people and looked at the list. Their my name was on the varsity list i was so happy. After everything i went through with the other school and only having two weeks to make the team at this school i felt like all my hard work finally paid off. I texted my parents right away and they were so happy for me. The season went great i was playing a lot and sometimes even started. I felt like this was where i was suppose to be. My team and i won league and went to first round of CIF. With only losing four player we hope to do better this upcoming season.


The author's comments:

This piece is about a time in my life that was a rough time for me.


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