Physical Activity - Basketball - Essay Example

Hon Lok Ho Julie Morfee Ewrt 1A Section 37 22 April, Physical Activity: Basketball   Nowadays, people often spend their time at work or atschool pondering on the things they can do to obtain a earn more and obtain a better position in the company or better grades on the report cards. As a result, they do not realize that the key to success either at work or at school is by maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Most of those who live in the city neglect the importance of regular physical activities that may make them healthy. Physical activity and exercise are essential for all of us in order to balance the intellectual and physical functions of the body. One of the physical activities that I think is beneficial for keeping the balance between the mind and the body is basketball. It has a lot of advantages that I have learned myself personally when I became a member of a basketball team in high school. My experience as a member of the team has shaped me into the kind of person I am today. Physically and mentally, basketball made me become a stronger and healthier person since this game does not only require one to be endure the pains of running and keeping up with the other players, but the mental skills of calculating distances and strategies in order to win the game. It demands passion, team work, and trust in oneself as well as the other members of the team. I have been playing basketball for at least seven years now and I find it to be a unique sport. Through my experience over the years, I have found that my mind has become more mature and so have my skills. By participating in basketball matches since I was eleven, I have found that practice is not the only key to winning a game. By studying the other team’s strengths and identifying their weaknesses, we gain more advantage over winning the game. Although basketball requires learning several physical skills, players’ should also train and hone its mental skills since the game demands analytical skills as well. As Gladwell and Crawford argue, physical activities require imagination, creativity as well as flexibility rather than blindly following textbook knowledge. Like any other amateur players, basketball superstars started as any other basketball enthusiast who simply loves the sport. The only difference is that these superstars were humble enough to admit their weaknesses that they used it on their advantage. They worked hard to further develop their strengths and worked even harder to overcome their weaknesses. In The Physical Genius, Malcolm Gladwell shares the secret of how  Michael Jordan, the lord of basketball became the legend of this sport by spending a huge part of his time wisely by reflecting rather than training. He explains that although Michael Jordan and Karl Malone possesses unique skills that helped them become the superstars that they are now, the only difference between them is that the former introspects his own weaknesses and imagines how Malone could take advantage of them to beat him if they were in a real match. Mentality and reflection is probably the biggest difference between them (8). Applying this theory, I would send one of my teammates as a “spy” to observe our opponents while they practice when I lead my team in the past. I asked him to point out every member of the team’s strengths and weaknesses. By observing the opponent’s plots and strategies, we were able to find out the best way to beat them by take advantage of their weaknesses. Even my teammates agreed that our victory is the result of learning from the mistakes of our opponents and thorough strategic planning on how to use their weaknesses to our advantage. We have found that analyzing their moves in the court has helped us achieve our goals of winning the match that would have been difficult with daily practice alone. If you have watched an NBA match or some playoff highlights, you would find that there are thousands of strategies that basketball players use for offense and defense. One can never learn all of them in a lifetime. Besides, some strategies may work better on someone while they do not work on players; instead they have a much more different strategy that works for them. Players need to choose the right strategy for them in order to optimize their strength. Different strategies apply in different situations. For example, when my team leads the game, it is my goal to prevent the other team from scoring any more points, thus I try to use up as much time I can so they do not have the chance to get hold of the ball. On the other hand, when we are at risk of losing the game, especially when we have the lower score, I try to figure out a way so we can break down the other team’s offense. People may question where do these strategies come from? Are they learned from textbooks? Definitely not. These strategies are created by players by reflecting on their actual experiences on the court and learning through experience. When no new strategies are developed, players are not able to improve on their skills even with regular training. In The Case for Working with Your Hands, Matthew Crawford argues that simply following a written manual does not necessarily mean one has done his job well. He states, “These manuals tell you to be systematic in eliminating variables, presenting an idealized image of diagnostic work. But they never take into account the risks of working on old machines. So you put the manual away and consider the facts before you” (6). The author does not agree with the idea of blindly following what textbooks state. While it is true that the ideas in the books are based on a number of observations of different games and matches, strategizing cannot be learned from them. Reading books about basketball, and even about famous people who have become popular in the sport, helps players to understand the basic knowledge and techniques of the game, but learning only begins when one is able to experience it in court. Although books present various situations that can happen in the game along with the “proper” strategy to get through it, even a well-trained player cannot say that what the book says is suitable every time the same situation occurs. A successful player never follows books, but rather trusts his strengths and has faith that in the new ideas he derives from his own experiences. As much as the skills of a basketball player are trained and developed, physical attribution is also regarded as one of the most significant factors in order to be one. Height is considered an important physical characteristic, especially when one wishes to be a professional basketball player. Unfortunately, lower than the average height may not have a chance in a professional team. However, this should not disappoint one since anyone can play the game just as any other sport during free time along with friends who also enjoy it. In my years of playing basketball, I found that it is important to be passionate. If you are interested in basketball, you will have a greater intention to play it well and to improve yourself. Matthew Crawford’s The Case for Working With your Hands describes the author’s own principle in life. He writes, “Ultimately it is enlightened self interest, then, not a harangue about humility or public-spiritedness, which will compel us to take a fresh look at the trades (7).” The author indicated that one’s self interest is one of the most important factors that lead to success. Having passion for something implies that an individual would love to do the things his heart desires without any hesitation. With passion, man is encouraged to do all things involving the thing someone is passionate for. Ever since I was interested in basketball, I have been fully motivated to devote every single minute of my free time to basketball. No matter how bad the weather is, I keep going to the basketball court and practice for at least an hour. The reason is simple – I am passionate about this sport. Another reason for my love of basketball is the strong friendship I have developed with my teammates. We have developed a strong bond among each other through the years of practicing together. Winning the games has brought us closer together, but it is with losing that we stick closer to each other. I was once a very self-centered person. Since I love the game so much, I thought that getting as many points myself makes me better than the others so I tried to shoot as many points as I could in the matches our team participated in. To my surprise, my coach suspended me for my egocentricity and made me contemplate on my behavior. He allowed me to watch the team train as a single team and I realized that they actually did better when they worked together as a team. Soon, I realized the importance of harmony and cooperation in a team. When I got back into my team, I participated actively towards building the team spirit. With weeks of continuous practice, I started to develop the chemistry among each member of the team and we were able to function as a single unit working towards achieving the same goal – and that is winning. I started to understand each of my teammate’s strength, weakness and playing habits well. Thereafter, whenever we were in the game, we could still pass on the ball perfectly to each other, even when the opponents try to block us. Game after game, I have developed a deep sportsmanship that I have learned to appreciate even the moments our team loses a match. Each member in the team is indispensable for each one is unique. Missing any one of us is just like missing a piece of a puzzle that none could ever replace that single space. It might sound a bit old-school, but it is true that unity is strength. There is no doubt you can play well if you are born a basketball genius. However, I think that even superstars like Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol still need to practice a lot to have consistency in their performance and develop strong bonds with their team. After all, their passion for the game should be enough motivation to work along with their teammates and not against them. No matter what activities one engages in, being interested in it is always the biggest motivation towards striving to perform or play better. Playing basketball not only keeps people healthy, but also brings them a sense of belonging by engaging in a team that are just as passionate about the sport and teaches teamwork. Works Cited Crawford, Matthew. "The Case for Working With Your Hands."  The New York    Times. 21 May 2009, n. pag. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. Gladwell, Malcolm." The Physical Genius." Gladwell.com. n. pag. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. Read More