Hows my Application Essay pt2

[TomHimself]

I saw someone else asked for 2p2's opinion on their essay so I figure I'll do the same. ty


Basketball was everything to me until I hurt my knee. Basketball and I seemed to go together as naturally as peanut butter and jelly. At three years old, I would constantly be outside practicing my dribbling. When I wasn't outside practicing, I could be found inside watching all the games on TV. I would go in my unheated basement and turn off the lights and practice dribbling with both my hands for hours so I could be the best.

By the time I was in the sixth grade, I was playing in three different leagues: CYO, PAL, and AAU. For the AAU team I would travel an hour and half for practices, doing my homework in the car. I continued with AAU into my freshman year. That season at the first practice, I twisted my knee while driving to the basket and fell to the floor, tearing my ACL in the process. I spent the rest of the season on the bench supporting my team and in the gym enduring intense physical therapy.

By my sophomore year, I was completely recovered and ready to get back on the court. Unfortunately, I re-tore my ACL during gym class and once again found myself sidelined. I was devastated. I would be out for at least a year. There was no option this time. I needed surgery followed by six months of physical therapy twice a week. It was not till the fall of my junior year that I was 100%.

Two years of being benched for injuries gave me lots of time to think. I played varsity basketball my junior year, but it no longer was everything to me. I had plenty of time to rethink my priorities during my recuperation and I realized that there was more to life than basketball. That year off changed everything for me. I wrote for the school newspaper, and took up photography. With each new activity came new friends. I tried out for the schools baseball team. I made the team and really had a blast. I forgot how much I enjoyed it. We had a great team and won the county championship. If I hadn’t hurt my knee, I probably would have been playing AAU Spring Basketball and missed out on one the most enjoyable times of my High School career.

Basketball isn’t everything, it’s just one sport. Basketball had taken up all my time for so long. I didn’t realize how much I was missing. Now I realize that there are many options in front of me. There are many choices in life and this is the time to try new things. Each experience helps to shape who I am. I understand that bad things happen but that these things can lead to something good. Things can change very quickly in the world we live.