Basketball or?

[Dream&Achieve]

So if you don't know, I'm a freshman in highschool. I've played basketball since the 3rd grade. Our high school has about 180 or so people in the whole school. Since it's so small, we don't have tryouts for sports or anything and for our JV + Varsity team together we only have 12 girls. A girl got in an argument with another girl and she ended up walking out the door last night at practice. Anyway, basketball has been my life for the past 5 or so years. I've pushed my heart into it, my dad has paid for me to go to 1-1 coach over the summer. I've always wanted to go to a D1 college for basketball. The thing is, that lately I've just lost interest in basketball and business is now taking over in my mind. It used to be basketball > everything and now its business > everything. Don't get me wrong I do still love basketball, but I'm just losing my grip on it. Now that business has taken me over, I don't want to put as much work in basketball anymore. I continue to get yelled at in basketball and last night I made the whole team run by not catching a ball. The thing is, if I do quit the whole school will hate me and our JV won't even have a team. My coach will forever hate me, because in grade school I used to stay after school and shoot with him like every day. He put so much work into me. Overall, I'm a really great player but I just don't feel right anymore. It's really been stressing me out and overwhelming me. I'm not sure what to do at this point. I can't tell my dad how I feel because he wants me to go to college for basketball.

 

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[biophase]

So if you don't know, I'm a freshman in highschool. I've played basketball since the 3rd grade. Our high school has about 180 or so people in the whole school. Since it's so small, we don't have tryouts for sports or anything and for our JV + Varsity team together we only have 12 girls. A girl got in an argument with another girl and she ended up walking out the door last night at practice. Anyway, basketball has been my life for the past 5 or so years. I've pushed my heart into it, my dad has paid for me to go to 1-1 coach over the summer. I've always wanted to go to a D1 college for basketball. The thing is, that lately I've just lost interest in basketball and business is now taking over in my mind. It used to be basketball > everything and now its business > everything. Don't get me wrong I do still love basketball, but I'm just losing my grip on it. Now that business has taken me over, I don't want to put as much work in basketball anymore. I continue to get yelled at in basketball and last night I made the whole team run by not catching a ball. The thing is, if I do quit the whole school will hate me and our JV won't even have a team. My coach will forever hate me, because in grade school I used to stay after school and shoot with him like every day. He put so much work into me. Overall, I'm a really great player but I just don't feel right anymore. It's really been stressing me out and overwhelming me. I'm not sure what to do at this point. I can't tell my dad how I feel because he wants me to go to college for basketball.

I think many of us here wished we were good enough to make a team in college. Go play basketball now, business can wait.

 

[Dream&Achieve]

I think many of us here wished we were good enough to make a team in college. Go play basketball now, business can wait.

I suppose so, it's just I feel as if basketball is slowly slipping away from me.

 

[Jamie T]

So if you don't know, I'm a freshman in highschool. I've played basketball since the 3rd grade. Our high school has about 180 or so people in the whole school. Since it's so small, we don't have tryouts for sports or anything and for our JV + Varsity team together we only have 12 girls. A girl got in an argument with another girl and she ended up walking out the door last night at practice. Anyway, basketball has been my life for the past 5 or so years. I've pushed my heart into it, my dad has paid for me to go to 1-1 coach over the summer. I've always wanted to go to a D1 college for basketball. The thing is, that lately I've just lost interest in basketball and business is now taking over in my mind. It used to be basketball > everything and now its business > everything. Don't get me wrong I do still love basketball, but I'm just losing my grip on it. Now that business has taken me over, I don't want to put as much work in basketball anymore. I continue to get yelled at in basketball and last night I made the whole team run by not catching a ball. The thing is, if I do quit the whole school will hate me and our JV won't even have a team. My coach will forever hate me, because in grade school I used to stay after school and shoot with him like every day. He put so much work into me. Overall, I'm a really great player but I just don't feel right anymore. It's really been stressing me out and overwhelming me. I'm not sure what to do at this point. I can't tell my dad how I feel because he wants me to go to college for basketball.

This happens to athletes all the time. It can be difficult to endure in the moment, but like @biophase said... play basketball now. It'll be worth it when you look back at what you've accomplished.

How do I know this?

I was a scholarship athlete right out of high school and ran track & field for LSU... One of the top track & field programs in the world.


You have a small window of opportunity that very few take full advantage of.

In fact, only about 2% of high school athletes earn an athletic scholarship.
NCAA website: https://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/Recruiting Fact Sheet WEB.pdf

A way of looking at playing competitive sports, especially in high level high school/college, is going through life's lessons at an accelerated rate. Developing into an elite athlete sets you up for the rest of your life.

It's not only about your sport... it's about the experience, responsibility, process, and who you become as a person.

Check this out: https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/clarity-of-purpose.63337/#post-492554


As far as your "not feeling right anymore" and "stressing / overwhelming"... this is what separates the athletes who "had potential" or "could have been great" from the ones who win championships, earn athletic scholarships, and get to experience life in a way that most would only dream about.

Every time you go through these periods of stress/uneasiness, you become stronger. The more you push through these challenges, the better you become in your sport, business, and in life.

You're being tested right now.

 

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[jon.a]

I wish I could even run. Play while you still can.

 

[Carnage]

If you ever decide you want to do business in the fitness/sports industry, it would be easier since you won't be a nobody....

You have school paid for too.

Maybe you have lost interest because you feel pressured? You have to get the passion back and more importantly the fun!

 

[Ninjakid]

Play basketball. Only if you genuinely love it though. If you're good enough to get accepted on a college team, than you're already living millions of people's dreams.

You won't be able to play basketball like a pro forever. No matter how good you get, there will only be a handful of years where you're in your prime. So if you love basketball, be the best at it while you can.

Try practicing mindfulness, where you're 100% (or at least 85%) present and in your body at the moment. When you're playing basketball, you'll be completely focused on dribbling the ball and making shots. When you're working on your business, you'll be completely focused on finding customers, making sales etc.

P.S. I also love playing basketball and used to play a lot in high-school, this makes me an anomaly in my hockey-absorbed family lol

 

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[Dream&Achieve]

Thank you for all the responses, it's great to be able to talk to people about it. We had our first game last night and won, I had lots of fun.

 

[Vigilante]

I asked @MJ DeMarco to change your screen name as Google will index what ever you write here. We don't want your screen name to be your full real name.

 

[Dream&Achieve]

I asked @MJ DeMarco to change your screen name as Google will index what ever you write here. We don't want your screen name to be your full real name.

How do I change my screen name? For the forum topic, I didn't know what to put this in.

 

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[jon.a]

...I had lots of fun.

This is important.

 

[Dream&Achieve]

This is important.

Agreed.