"Come on, Cassie. You really should try it. I think you would love it," said my best friend Marley.
"Yeah, Cassie. You really would. And we really want you to be on the team with us. Please," pleaded my other best friend Hannah.
Marley and Hannah had been trying for a couple of weeks to get me to play lacrosse with them. I gave them every excuse I could think of not to play, but they were still pushing me to do it.
"Guys, I just don't know if I would like it," I said, trying so hard for them to let me off the hook. "What if I'm not good at it?"
"You will be good at it, though. We are going to work with you all summer and you'll be so good next season. Don't worry."
"Okay, fine."
I couldn't believe I had finally given in, but it was too late to turn back. They were already talking about when to practice and how they were going to teach me. Part of me was hoping that by the time summer came they would forget this whole ridiculous idea of me playing lacrosse. The other part was secretly excited to be playing a new sport.
Marley and Hannah stuck to their word and worked with me all summer. They taught me all the basics that I would need to know to play lacrosse. By the end of the summer, I thought I was doing well. I was really excited and couldn't wait to play on the team that year. School started up again and we were in seventh grade. Everything was going fine that year, but then, lacrosse season came.
"Marley, I really don't think I can do this," I told her on the first day of workouts. "Everyone will probably laugh at me because I'm not good. I just don't know anymore."
"Cassie, listen to me. You have worked so hard this summer and you have gotten really good. There are some eighth graders that are going to play this year that have never even picked up a stick in their life. Trust me, you know much more and are much better than them. You will be fine and Hannah and I will be out there with you. There's nothing to worry about."
I listened to her and went out there. She was right, too. Most of the eighth graders had no idea about anything and even had to start by learning how to cradle on the wall. I was satisfied with how I was doing since I could already cradle and pass and catch. I started to gain back the confidence that I had during the summer.
But then, our first game came.
We played Williston which wasn't really much of a threat to us. I didn't start that game since the coaches had only seen me play in practice. I didn't mind it much; besides, I was still a bit fuzzy on the rules. Also, the only seventh graders that started were Hannah and Marley because they played on the team the year before.
"Cassie!" called Coach Verna. "Ready to go in?"
I just nodded my head and walked to her. My hands shook and my heart pounded. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. I most certainly was not ready to go in, but she had already called the other player over and it was done. I ran onto the field and into my place, still shaking. I heard Hannah and Marley call my name and I looked up to see them both smiling and giving me a thumbs up. I could not remember anything I was supposed to do as nervousness and fear took over. I tried to concentrate on the ball and the things I had learned over the summer. I was trying so hard not to mess up and yet, every time the ball came to me I dropped it and lost it.
Finally, I said to myself, "Cassie, you can do it."
A ball came flying towards me and I caught it perfectly. I wasn't sure what I should do it with it so I just started running. I ran all the way up the field, weaving through all the defenders. I came to the goal and shot it. I missed just by a little bit, but that didn't matter so much because I had actually done something right. Everyone was cheering for me. I had all my confidence back and the next time the ball came to me I did the same thing and made it that time.
"Cassie, you did so good! I told you you could do it!" exclaimed Marley.
"I'm so proud of you!" chimed in Hannah.
The coaches thought I did well, too, since I started the second half and the rest of the games that season and the next. Looking back now, I can't believe I was ever scared to play lacrosse. It is the one thing that I know I have total confidence in.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Athletic Challenges- Rough Draft #2
"Come on, Cassie. You really should try it. I think you would love it," said my best friend Marley.
"Yeah, Cassie. You really would. And we really want you to be on the team with us. Please," pleaded my other best friend Hannah.
Marley and Hannah had been trying for a couple of weeks to get me to play lacrosse with them. I gave them every excuse I could think of not to play, but they were still pushing me to do it.
"Guys, I just don't know if I would like it," I said, trying so hard for them to let me off the hook. "What if I'm not good at it?"
"You will be good at it, though. We are going to work with you all summer and you'll be so good next season. Don't worry."
"Okay, fine."
I couldn't believe I had finally given in, but it was too late to turn back. They were already talking about when to practice and how they were going to teach me.
Marley and Hannah stuck to their word and worked with me all summer. They taught me all the basics I would need to play lacrosse. By the end of the summer, I thought I was doing well with it. I was really excited and couldn't wait to play on the team that year. School started up again and we were in seventh grade. Everything was going fine that year, but then, lacrosse season came.
"Marley, I really don't think I can do this," I told her on the first day of workouts. "Everyone will probably laugh at me because I'm not good. I just don't know anymore."
"Cassie, listen to me. You have worked so hard this summer and you have gotten really good. There are some eighth graders that are going to play this year that have never even picked up a stick in their life. Trust me, you know much more and are much better than them. You will be fine and Hannah and I will be out there with you. There's nothing to worry about.
I listened to her and went out there. She was right, too. Most of the eighth graders had no idea about anything and even had to start by learning how to cradle on the wall. I was satisfied with how I was doing since I could already cradle and pass and catch. I started to gain back the confidence I had during the summer.
But then, our first game came.
We played Williston which wasn't really much of a threat to us. I didn't start that game since the coaches had only seen me play in practice. I didn't mind it much; besides, I was still a bit fuzzy on the rules. Also, the only seventh graders that started were Hannah and Marley because they played on the team the year before.
"Cassie!" called Coach Verna. "Ready to go in?"
I just nodded my head and walked over to her. My hands shook and my heart pounded. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. I most certainly was not ready to go in, but she had already called the other player over for me to go and it was done. I ran onto the field and into my place, still shaking. I heard Hannah and Marley call my name and I looked up to see them both smiling and giving me a thumbs. I could not remember anything I was supposed to do as nervousness and fear took over. I tried to concentrate on the ball and the things I had learned over the summer. I was trying so hard not to mess up and yet, every time the ball came to me I dropped it and lost it.
Finally, I said to myself, "Cassie, you can do it."
A ball came flying towards me and I caught it perfectly. I wasn't sure what I should do it with it so I just started running. I ran all the way up the field, weaving through all the defenders. I came to the goal and shot it. I missed just by a little bit, but that didn't matter so much because I had actually done something right. Everyone was cheering for me. I had all my confidence back and the next time the ball came to me I did the same thing and actually made it that time.
"Cassie, you did so good! I told you you could do it!" exclaimed Marley.
"I'm so proud of you!" chimed in Hannah.
The coaches thought I did well, too, since I started the second half and the rest of the games that season and the next. Now, I have plenty of confidence when I play.
"Yeah, Cassie. You really would. And we really want you to be on the team with us. Please," pleaded my other best friend Hannah.
Marley and Hannah had been trying for a couple of weeks to get me to play lacrosse with them. I gave them every excuse I could think of not to play, but they were still pushing me to do it.
"Guys, I just don't know if I would like it," I said, trying so hard for them to let me off the hook. "What if I'm not good at it?"
"You will be good at it, though. We are going to work with you all summer and you'll be so good next season. Don't worry."
"Okay, fine."
I couldn't believe I had finally given in, but it was too late to turn back. They were already talking about when to practice and how they were going to teach me.
Marley and Hannah stuck to their word and worked with me all summer. They taught me all the basics I would need to play lacrosse. By the end of the summer, I thought I was doing well with it. I was really excited and couldn't wait to play on the team that year. School started up again and we were in seventh grade. Everything was going fine that year, but then, lacrosse season came.
"Marley, I really don't think I can do this," I told her on the first day of workouts. "Everyone will probably laugh at me because I'm not good. I just don't know anymore."
"Cassie, listen to me. You have worked so hard this summer and you have gotten really good. There are some eighth graders that are going to play this year that have never even picked up a stick in their life. Trust me, you know much more and are much better than them. You will be fine and Hannah and I will be out there with you. There's nothing to worry about.
I listened to her and went out there. She was right, too. Most of the eighth graders had no idea about anything and even had to start by learning how to cradle on the wall. I was satisfied with how I was doing since I could already cradle and pass and catch. I started to gain back the confidence I had during the summer.
But then, our first game came.
We played Williston which wasn't really much of a threat to us. I didn't start that game since the coaches had only seen me play in practice. I didn't mind it much; besides, I was still a bit fuzzy on the rules. Also, the only seventh graders that started were Hannah and Marley because they played on the team the year before.
"Cassie!" called Coach Verna. "Ready to go in?"
I just nodded my head and walked over to her. My hands shook and my heart pounded. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. I most certainly was not ready to go in, but she had already called the other player over for me to go and it was done. I ran onto the field and into my place, still shaking. I heard Hannah and Marley call my name and I looked up to see them both smiling and giving me a thumbs. I could not remember anything I was supposed to do as nervousness and fear took over. I tried to concentrate on the ball and the things I had learned over the summer. I was trying so hard not to mess up and yet, every time the ball came to me I dropped it and lost it.
Finally, I said to myself, "Cassie, you can do it."
A ball came flying towards me and I caught it perfectly. I wasn't sure what I should do it with it so I just started running. I ran all the way up the field, weaving through all the defenders. I came to the goal and shot it. I missed just by a little bit, but that didn't matter so much because I had actually done something right. Everyone was cheering for me. I had all my confidence back and the next time the ball came to me I did the same thing and actually made it that time.
"Cassie, you did so good! I told you you could do it!" exclaimed Marley.
"I'm so proud of you!" chimed in Hannah.
The coaches thought I did well, too, since I started the second half and the rest of the games that season and the next. Now, I have plenty of confidence when I play.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Fourth TKAM Reading Response
The formal definition of devout is devoted to divine worship or service; pious and earnest or sincere. To the ladies of Maycomb "devout" means the lady that gives the most money or talks the most about the things they do to "help".
Maycomb women get together in their church group once a week to have tea and talk about the things they did that week. At one of their meetings, Mrs. Merriweather (the most "devout lady" in Maycomb) was talking about how she wants to help the Mrunas. The Mrunas are a tribe in Africa that, according to Mrs. Merriweather, have no sense of family. She thinks that they live in a wrong way and want to help them become Christian. In reality, the Mrunas are more Christian-like than her.
The ladies of Maycomb are so hypocritical. They talk about "good, but misguided folks" when really that's what they are. They are very insecure about the things they do and to make themselves feel better they need to talk. They need to talk about other people and they need to talk about what good they have done. These ladies call themselves devout ladies, but that's not what they act like at all.
To be a devout Christian, one must do the things in the name of God and for what he/she thinks is right, not for what other people will think. One truly devout person that I know is my Pappou. He goes to church every week, but not because its a social event. He helps out at the Greek festival because he loves it and he knows we need help. No one ever has to ask him to do anything, he just does it. He does it because he knows what's right and he really doesn't care what other people think.
Maycomb women get together in their church group once a week to have tea and talk about the things they did that week. At one of their meetings, Mrs. Merriweather (the most "devout lady" in Maycomb) was talking about how she wants to help the Mrunas. The Mrunas are a tribe in Africa that, according to Mrs. Merriweather, have no sense of family. She thinks that they live in a wrong way and want to help them become Christian. In reality, the Mrunas are more Christian-like than her.
The ladies of Maycomb are so hypocritical. They talk about "good, but misguided folks" when really that's what they are. They are very insecure about the things they do and to make themselves feel better they need to talk. They need to talk about other people and they need to talk about what good they have done. These ladies call themselves devout ladies, but that's not what they act like at all.
To be a devout Christian, one must do the things in the name of God and for what he/she thinks is right, not for what other people will think. One truly devout person that I know is my Pappou. He goes to church every week, but not because its a social event. He helps out at the Greek festival because he loves it and he knows we need help. No one ever has to ask him to do anything, he just does it. He does it because he knows what's right and he really doesn't care what other people think.
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