|
Playing basketball for the Crunch was
like playing baseball for the Yankees; it was something every
serious basketball player wanted to be a part of. As I was untying
my shoes after my game against Pleasant Ridge my eighth grade year,
Tony Berry, the Roy Williams of middle school girls basketball,
walked over to me.
Dale’s Athletic Club. Spacious, crowded, smelled of old, crusty gym socks, and the spot of my very first Crunch basketball practice. As I took my first step into that beat up gym at Dale’s, I saw little girls, probably about six or seven, playing basketball. Their smiles were as big as their faces and their eyes shined with excitement. I wish I could go back to those days, back when playing basketball for my dad was the highlight of my day. Now basketball is a game of blood, sweat, and tears, not laughs, smiles, and goofing off. I finally found someone I recognized. Wait, this is not my team. Where is Sally? Where is Buschmann? These girls are amazing! I am going to look terrible next to them. This is not what I signed for. Tony got there and practice was about to begin. Practice was extremely intense from the get go. “Three lines!” Tony screamed. Right then I knew how competitive Tony really was. The hustle to get the best team of three was unbelievable. I stood there like a deer in head lights. Wow, these girls are insane. It was all out war. |
Basketball drills.
Home.
Get Recruited
Articles. |
|
“Three man
weave!” I heard thunder throughout the vast gym. The first group
went without a flaw. Then the second, then the third. Both groups
were even better than the first. I was up next, and I was shaking.
We made it half court, the free throw line, and I got the ball for a
lay-up. Do not mess up Sarah repeated in my head as I drove closer
to the basket. The shot was up and in! Once done with the three man weave, we moved right into other ball handling and shooting drills. Everything was so fast paced. Towards the end of practice, we lined up for free throws. For every shot missed, we would have to run a suicide. Three makes. One miss. Four makes. Two misses. Two makes. Three suicides were not bad at all. After practice was over, my legs felt like Jell-O; I had never run that kind of distance in that short amount of time. On January 2nd, 2006 I stepped inside Tony Berry’s house, and my eyes were immediately drawn to the pile of purple and silver jerseys sitting in the middle of the living room. “Pick whatever number you want,” he told. As quickly as I said “okay,” I rapidly dug through the pile looking for a jersey like a hungry, teenage boy looking for food in a full pantry.
“Where is it?!” I screamed. Later that night, I arrived at Okun Field House, the site of our first game. I only knew four other people on my team: Buschmann, Sally, Brooke, and Holland. I knew this was not going to go well. None of us knew how the others played much less their names. |
“Let’s go ladies!” Tony roared. Wow, he looked even scarier and more determined than he had at practice. “Starting will be Sally, Holland, Blair, Buschmann, and Kosednar.” I could not fathom that I was going to start!”
“What time is it?! Crunch Time!” echoed throughout the gym. The five starters made their way onto the court and lined up next to the opposing team. They looked like giants ready to crush is into the floor. I looked out into the stands and saw my parents and brother cheering. I suddenly got a rush of adrenaline because my brother can almost never make it to any of my games; this one was for him. The ref tossed the balling into the air, and Holland jumped what seemed like fifty feet in the air, but she won the tip.
The first half seemed to last a lifetime, but we were
on top. We just needed to keep playing our game, and we had it won.
In the second half, we could not buy a basket, and they could not
miss. In the end, we came up only a few points short. Disappointment
showed on all team of our faces; we could not believe we just lost.
Unfortunately, the entire season turned out like this.
Every time the Crunch White stepped out onto the forty by ninety-two
foot court, we had the same fate no matter the opponent. We would
get up early, but fall behind late in the game. We were a surprising
0-7 that season.
In the final five minutes of our last game, the game came to a sudden halt. A girl and I were fighting for the ball. Suddenly, the monster flipped me over slamming my head on the floor. My head throbbed as if someone dropped a thousand pound weight on it. I went to school the next morning, but I felt like everything was spinning; it was similar to being on a merry-go-round that never ended.
After school, I went to the doctor. She had me follow her finger without turning my head. I do not know what my problem was, but I just could not do it. She sent me to get a cat scan. Stumbling into a white room with bare walls, I saw a giant machine. I laid inside of it and heard all these beeping noises; I felt like I was inside a videogame. About five minutes later, the doctors determined I was fine; I had just suffered a minor concussion. Once my headache went away, I would be cleared to play.
Our second season as the Crunch White was almost as disastrous as the first, There was only one division which meant playing against powerhouses such as the Dream Team, the Lady Cats powered by Rachel Boan, and even our better half, the Crunch Purple.
Playing against the Purple team was the most intense, scrappy game I have ever played in; both teams were out for blood. Bodies flew all over the court going after the ball as well as the opponents’ ankles. It was extreme, but so much fun at the same time. When someone did something stupid, we would all stop, fall over, and just laugh. The final score was 47-17 with the Purple team on top.
The third and final season of the Crunch White kicked off with a double header. This season would truly be a new season: new players, new plays, even a new coach. We started off being the team to beat with a record of 2-0.
The next day at practice, Tony was extremely frustrated with us for not making out free throws. As usual for everything shot missed, we had to run a suicide; we ran about twelve. Then we all shot again and only had to run five. In the middle of running, I felt my knee pop. I tried to run it out, but it only made it worse. My knee swelled to the size of a grapefruit; it felt like someone stabbed a knife into my patella.
I went to the doctor a week later and was diagnosed with patella tendonitis. He also said I would probably be out for the rest of the season. I was devastated; what was I going to be without basketball? My season was over as quickly as it started; that was the end of my career with the Crunch. My knee did not heal; I dislocated it only months later. This meant I would never be able to play basketball again.
It has been four years since my last competitive game. I miss basketball every day; I would do anything to be able to play again. The sport taught me so much. Without playing for an intense coach and competitive team, I would not have the determination I do today. It also taught me the important of commitment. Playing for the Crunch was one on the best experience of my life. Best because it educated me about myself; worst because it ended my basketball career, but I would do it all again if I had the chance.
FAFSA-Financial Aid Application I Fitness Training I Fencing I Field Hockey I Football I Golf I Gym Training I Sports Helmets Hockey I Lacrosse I Lose Weight I NAIA Conferences I NCAA DI Conferences I NCAA DII Conferences I NCAA DIII Conferences NCAA Emerging Sports I NCAA Games Rosters I Quit Smoking I Rowing I Running I Scholarship News I Sports Shoes I Soccer Softball I Sports Clothing I Sports Medicine I Sports Training I Steroids I Swimming I Tennis I Volleyball I Weight Training Wrestling
© College Sports Scholarships