Student Voices

Ode to Basketball

Garrett Hollenback

Most of the time you can find me at a court playing basketball or just shooting or anything just with a basketball. There’s something about the sport that keeps me coming back after every ankle twist, elbow to the ribs, getting my legs swept from underneath me, and even getting elbows to the nose. Something about this game always calls me back, kind of like in the Field of Dreams when he gets called to the field. Sometimes I hate the sport. I feel like I can never make a shot or do well and I just never want to play, but even in the middle of these thoughts I’m still playing. Basketball is my high. Even if I don’t do good or have a good season and everyone judges me for it, I still have fun. Most of the time I find myself thinking about playing in the mornings with Ross and even playing at West Branch Wednesday nights. When I’m playing nothing else matters. Every time I play I am just relaxed and I have no other worries besides how I play. Everything else doesn’t matter to me when I’m playing and I’ll do anything to play most of the time. I would love to be the old 45 year old guy who stills gives the young kids buckets and I play a couple times a week. Basketball is my game whether I’m good at it or not. It doesn’t matter. I still enjoy the sport and I think it’s something that I will never give up until I pass.