Essay on Basketball: The Reasons Why This Game is the Best

I believe in the power of pick-up basketball. The great thing about basketball is that one doesn’t have to have any special equipment to play the game. All one needs is a ball and themselves. Yet while this experience sure improves one’s skill, when more people join the game all the intangibles that one cannot teach are also affected in a positive manner. 

Just two summers ago, I encountered this myself. As a lover of the game, I often played in my backyard or in the parking lot usually by myself or with my younger brother. As you can see just from this short anecdote, I wasn’t much of a socializer outside of school. However, I soon began to take the game more seriously and used it as an escape from the stifling containment of my home. This escapade ultimately led me to the basketball courts at Arcadia High School. 

At first glance, I see numerous courts filled with numerous types of people. There’s a group of elderly men playing on one court, while a band of 6-year olds invades another. Phrases such as “I got next, pass, shoot it” all fill the air, as games free of buzzers, referees, and complex rules get underway. Meanwhile, I wander over to the one open court and begin shooting. As I am entranced in my own routine, I am interrupted by a call to play in a game of 2 on 2. I accept the request and am rewarded with buckets of amusement, exercise, and newfound skill. But as I went home that day, I never realized how those moments at the basketball courts would translate to an even bigger bond between a larger group of people.

As the summer wore on, more people began to show up at the courts and I began to engage in more and more games of pick-up. Our group of 4 eventually transformed into 8, then 10 and ultimately to 12 people. We didn’t care that it was too crowded to play or that school was fast approaching. During these periods, I was able to focus on winning the game and let go of all my other thoughts and worries. And even if I didn’t walk out as the victor, I was likely to reminisce on the cordial experience that I had. Ultimately, my friends and I were able to form a community built upon friendship and amusement.

Almost every day, I played with those who I came to consider my friends. All the while, I was able to dedicate myself to the game and enjoy myself greatly. Nowadays, we rarely find the time to do the activities that we once took pleasure in. Excuses concerning homework, volunteering, and a number of other things all escape our mouths so easily. While these are completely valid reasons, they detract us from sharing those remarkable moments with our friends and family and can result in the fracture of certain bonds and relationships. To me, it’s very important to uphold these values and morals to continue sharing pleasurable experiences with our companions. 

To the average spectator, the courts are defined by the pounding of the ball to the swish of the net to the excessive trash-talking. However, from my past encounters, I have learned that those painted, concrete playing fields breed a sense of unity and camaraderie while providing joy beyond imaginable. These qualities are crucial to have and the basketball courts and many other activities consistently offer multiple opportunities to obtain it. So, how about another game?