Dad knows best
Around the age of 10, I picked up a basketball for the first time to honor the terms of our agreement.
Honestly, I was not much of a fan.
I was in unfamiliar territory, experiencing a sport that was incredibly unknown to me, and just longed for the day that I could finally give cheerleading a try.
A deal was a deal, though, and I knew that I needed to give this sport a valiant effort if my dad was ever going to let me try cheerleading in the future.
Well, as the saying goes, dad always knows best.
The more I played, the more I enjoyed it.
In fact, I completely fell in love with the game of basketball.
I started playing pick-up and organized games at the local YMCA, primarily with boys my age.
Much to my surprise, I was not only holding my own, but in many aspects, I was outperforming a lot of them.
I learned to compete with incredible grit, aggression, and mental toughness. For lack of a better term, I grew to be downright mean while competing on the court.
By the time I reached middle school, I felt strongly that this was a sport that could guide my future endeavors. I began pouring my heart and soul into the game.
My dad and I trained together. He pushed me to my limits and coached me harder than I had ever been coached before.
Despite my teenage attitude at the time, I could not be more grateful for the level of dedication that he showed me.
He taught me to play this game that I love and in the process, developed an inseparable bond between the two of us that brought us closer than ever before.
Dad really does know best.