This I Believe
The Goal Ball Game, and the Game of Life
Ayanna Dickerson
Eng 100-33
Final draft
The Goal Ball Game, and the Game of Life.
My thoughts seemed to echo in the quiet of the gymnasium. You’re a rookie; you’re going to cost your team the game. I thought to myself as I rested in my ready position on my hands and knees. This was an important day, this was the goal ball national tournament for indevisuals with visual impairments. BSO, my city’s organization was honored to participate in the most important game of the season.
To my left were the center, and left wing players. Unlike myself, My teammates seemed calm and collected. Usually I would’ve been proud to be chosen to start the game as the right wing player, but the fear of getting hit again by the ball and the fear of not being good enough to win frightened me so much that I kind of wished that my coach would just bench me and sub someone else in. But there was no time to think about that, the game was about to start and I needed to be completely focused. Everyone sat silently in preparation for the game to begin.
“Play!” shouted the official as she blew the whistle. The jingle of the goal ball as it hit the floor alerted me to prepare myself for its speedy ascent in my direction.
“Right wing, Yanna that’s you,” whispered Arcelia, our center player. I quickly dove to my right, tucked my face into my shoulder and extended my arms and legs so that they were parallel to the wing line. As the ball grew closer, I briefly thought back to my first game. The first time a goal ball was thrown at me, it hit my face with great force causing my nose to bleed, the smell of blood overwhelmed me with anguish and alarm. I didn’t want to relive that offal experience. Sometimes the fear of failure is enough to block the possibility of success.
“Yanna, it’s coming,” whispered Arcelia jolting me back to reality. It’s coming so fast; it’s definitely going to hurt. Just let them score this one goal. Overcome by fear, I relaxed my body letting the ball roll right over me and into the goalpost.
“Goal!” Shouted the official, indicating the successful goal for the opposing team. I immediately felt guilty. How could I be so selfish to sacrifice our game, simply to silence my own frightened thoughts. That’s the last time. I won’t sabotage another goal. I promised myself. I returned to my ready position, and listened to Arcelia’s eager steps as she stepped slightly forward and swung the ball down the court with ease.
“Got it!” shouted the opposing right wing player as her body collided with the ball. Again, the ball raced toward me. I would block it this time, I just knew I would. As I was about to dive for the ball, my eye began to itch. Absent mindedly I lifted my blind fold to rub my irritated eye. “Eye shade Penalty!” called the official blowing the whistle again. I often wonder if I honestly forgot that there is a penalty for touching your eye shades, or if I may have subconsciously touched my shades on purpose so that I would be substituted out of the game.
“My God Ayanna, why don’t you just do them a favor, pick up the ball and place it right into our goalpost.” said Kassandra our left wing player.
“Left and center off the court. The right wing player must now defend her side of the court alone.” shouted the official.
“Have fun defending by yourself.” Spat Arcelia in disgust as she and Kassandra stepped off of the court.
“Play!” Yelled the official. I could hear the ball drop in front of the opposing center player. This time I would block it. This time I would defend my goal. As the ball rolled straight toward me, I dove onto my side; arms and legs stretched out, tightened my body and waited anxiously as the ball slammed into my stomach. I quickly swept it from the ground, stood up and heaved it across the court with great intensity. “Goal!” Called the official who was barely heard over the thundering applause. Though the game was not yet over, this was the pivotal moment, the moment in which I defended my goal, on my own, with no support. I believe in defending my goal. In life you won’t always have someone available to support you, you have to achieve your goal on your own.
At that moment when I’d made a decision not to let my fear cost me my goal, I’d finally given myself a chance to succeed. I chose not to cower away in the face of adversity, but rise to the occasion and face my obstacles head on.
Eng 100-33
Final draft
The Goal Ball Game, and the Game of Life.
My thoughts seemed to echo in the quiet of the gymnasium. You’re a rookie; you’re going to cost your team the game. I thought to myself as I rested in my ready position on my hands and knees. This was an important day, this was the goal ball national tournament for indevisuals with visual impairments. BSO, my city’s organization was honored to participate in the most important game of the season.
To my left were the center, and left wing players. Unlike myself, My teammates seemed calm and collected. Usually I would’ve been proud to be chosen to start the game as the right wing player, but the fear of getting hit again by the ball and the fear of not being good enough to win frightened me so much that I kind of wished that my coach would just bench me and sub someone else in. But there was no time to think about that, the game was about to start and I needed to be completely focused. Everyone sat silently in preparation for the game to begin.
“Play!” shouted the official as she blew the whistle. The jingle of the goal ball as it hit the floor alerted me to prepare myself for its speedy ascent in my direction.
“Right wing, Yanna that’s you,” whispered Arcelia, our center player. I quickly dove to my right, tucked my face into my shoulder and extended my arms and legs so that they were parallel to the wing line. As the ball grew closer, I briefly thought back to my first game. The first time a goal ball was thrown at me, it hit my face with great force causing my nose to bleed, the smell of blood overwhelmed me with anguish and alarm. I didn’t want to relive that offal experience. Sometimes the fear of failure is enough to block the possibility of success.
“Yanna, it’s coming,” whispered Arcelia jolting me back to reality. It’s coming so fast; it’s definitely going to hurt. Just let them score this one goal. Overcome by fear, I relaxed my body letting the ball roll right over me and into the goalpost.
“Goal!” Shouted the official, indicating the successful goal for the opposing team. I immediately felt guilty. How could I be so selfish to sacrifice our game, simply to silence my own frightened thoughts. That’s the last time. I won’t sabotage another goal. I promised myself. I returned to my ready position, and listened to Arcelia’s eager steps as she stepped slightly forward and swung the ball down the court with ease.
“Got it!” shouted the opposing right wing player as her body collided with the ball. Again, the ball raced toward me. I would block it this time, I just knew I would. As I was about to dive for the ball, my eye began to itch. Absent mindedly I lifted my blind fold to rub my irritated eye. “Eye shade Penalty!” called the official blowing the whistle again. I often wonder if I honestly forgot that there is a penalty for touching your eye shades, or if I may have subconsciously touched my shades on purpose so that I would be substituted out of the game.
“My God Ayanna, why don’t you just do them a favor, pick up the ball and place it right into our goalpost.” said Kassandra our left wing player.
“Left and center off the court. The right wing player must now defend her side of the court alone.” shouted the official.
“Have fun defending by yourself.” Spat Arcelia in disgust as she and Kassandra stepped off of the court.
“Play!” Yelled the official. I could hear the ball drop in front of the opposing center player. This time I would block it. This time I would defend my goal. As the ball rolled straight toward me, I dove onto my side; arms and legs stretched out, tightened my body and waited anxiously as the ball slammed into my stomach. I quickly swept it from the ground, stood up and heaved it across the court with great intensity. “Goal!” Called the official who was barely heard over the thundering applause. Though the game was not yet over, this was the pivotal moment, the moment in which I defended my goal, on my own, with no support. I believe in defending my goal. In life you won’t always have someone available to support you, you have to achieve your goal on your own.
At that moment when I’d made a decision not to let my fear cost me my goal, I’d finally given myself a chance to succeed. I chose not to cower away in the face of adversity, but rise to the occasion and face my obstacles head on.