I want to share you a story about one of the scariest basketball game in my life, this is real today is January 13, 2015 and it happened on January 11, 2015. We had a game vs much younger faster players. We are exactly five players with no substitutions so we are forced to exert more effort to win the game. The game is close the first half ends with the other team leading by just 3 points.
When the third quarter begins the other team is starting to pull away from the game, they are already leading by 9 pts. I said to myself "wait, being the leader of this team, I cannot let them just beat us, I must lead and take charge".
My tragedy happens when I chase the ball from the other player, he was about to make a get away layup, he is three steps ahead of me but I know I can stop this guy so I ran so fast to get the ball from him, I slap the ball from him but because of miscalculated speed and forcing the issue too much I accidentally stepped the ball. My knee twists and I fall from the ground.
The moment I hit the floor, I immediately felt the pain that I've never felt before. I told to myself "ohh is this the end of my basketball career?, I hope this wasn't a major injury."
Minutes have passed and I wan't able to stand, I am grimacing in pain and it feels like the pain is forever, the referee told me to relax and it helps me a little bit. Few more minutes and my teammates and the other player from the other team (he was the one that I tried to stop, I don't know his name but he was a classy player) carried me to the bench. My girlfriend was crying, my teammates was worried and hopeless, I felt that I let them down.
The pain that I've felt on my knees was no greater than the pain for seeing my teammates losing, they were only four vs five. I tried to came back on the game for defensive purposes only but I cannot help anyway. I was completely useless and cannot even defend.
We called a timeout and my teammates told me to stop playing because I might hurt myself even more, the injury might get worse. At first I disagree but upon realizing that that's the best thing to do, I sat the whole game until it is over.
I quit yes I quit, I quit on that game but that doesn't mean I quit on my goal. My goal is to win the championship and our standing is still on a striking distance. We still have a chance to make it to the playoffs if we win the remaining games. I am hurt for now but my eyes for the goal is still clear.
Quitting for a moment doesn't mean you quit. Sometimes we need to rest, sometimes we need to take a stop, sometimes we need to heal, sometimes we need to breathe, sometimes we need to go back to the drawing board but that doesn't mean we have to quit on the bigger picture.
Unfortunate incidents happens and we cannot control that, sometimes those are the times that we needed to reevaluate ourselves, sometimes those are the signs that we need to do better. It happens because it is part of the process. Tragedy can either make you or brake you, it is up to you.
Up to now my knees are still hurt but I am still doing a little bit of drills, drills that doesn't need leg activities such as lifting weights, medicine ball, planking and situps just to keep my mind focus and my body in good shape. I will have an xray test this week and I hope nothing is serious. I quit on that game because for me that is the best thing to do but I will never quit on getting that championship.
YOU CAN QUIT AT THE MOMENT BUT YOU CAN NEVER QUIT ON YOUR GOAL.
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