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"Self-Reward and Self-Control"

We deserve to be rewarded for our team's first two-game victory along with all our hard work. I know it's only the beginning of the league, but don't we deserve a special reward for such a significant accomplishment?

Giving ourselves a reward can help us increase our confidence, thus it's all right to do so. According to a BrainFacts.org, when we reward ourselves, our brain produces dopamine, a hormone that makes us feel positive and cheerful. This hormone also functions as a stress reliever that restores mental clarity. In simple terms, self-reward is an act of self-love. Additionally, awarding oneself for hard work helps increase motivation. As a result, I and my friends deserve to treat ourselves so that we can be more motivated to win more games.

On the other hand, we must still ensure that we have self-control. Although self-reward is important, we must also be careful not to over-reward ourselves. For example, eating halo-halo is a satisfying treat after a long game. But, because halo-halo is wonderful, we are likely to buy more halo-halo or eat another unhealthy dish. And in that circumstance, the player may be consuming unhealthy food because he believes he deserves it all after 2 significant wins. As responsible players, we must understand how to balance our meals in order to keep our bodies fit and in good shape. As a response, after eating halo-halo, we should eat vegetables and other nutritious foods.

The concept of self-rewarding and self-control is applicable not only in that situation but also in our daily life. For example, performing a task at home does not give us an excuse to spend the entire day surfing the internet or playing mobile games. We must understand that self-reward does not imply revenge after a difficult task. It does not imply delaying the job and then abandoning it. What are we going to get? Laziness. It won't assist us in becoming the best version of ourselves. It can no longer be characterized as a self-reward; rather, it is a self-time bomb.

As a result, we must develop self-control, which is accomplished by restricting and controlling each act, analyzing the effects of each action, focusing on goals, and establishing priorities. In fact, self-rewarding will be far more meaningful and beneficial to us if there is self-control. Therefore, we must be mindful when rewarding ourselves.

#self love #self control #self reward #basketball

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"The Sweet Taste of Revenge"

"Revenge is a dish best served cold" ~ Eugene Sue

The quotation is short but true. It simply means that one must wait to create the best revenge scenario imaginable. He has to consider all of the options and pick the best one. And to really feel the anger or vengeance, one must live it for a period of time.

Getting revenge is a bittersweet experience. I've always believed that individuals should always receive what they want, whether it's a good grade, love, or in some situations, revenge. But first, I should say that I am a very peaceful guy. I hate quarrels and negative feelings toward others. Life is too short to waste on pointless issues like anger or vengeance. However, there are moments when I simply cannot control my anger and go insane, particularly when someone has mistreated me. At the moment, I believe it is all about pure values. We should treat others as we would like to be treated.     

It was the TCH Summer Basketball League's second game of the day in the afternoon. My teammates and I had a game against my previous teammates (now the black team), and I was pumped up because it was the match-up I'd been looking forward to. Last year, my teammates benched me and my brother for the entirety of the game, as I mentioned in my second blog. This year felt like beating them in the game to make them feel bad for not using my skills in basketball and benching me the entire game.

Throughout the game, I keep smiling at them while dropping several points at them. I want them to be annoyed, irritated and pissed about me as we lead by 10-15 points from the first to the third quarter of the game. The way I tease them in the game is satisfying, which is through non-verbal communication. I don't want to say anything rude or disrespectful in order to remain professional while playing. Before the game ends, every moment of sitting on the bench last year, as well as emotions such as anger, have been recalled. It hit me so hard that I focused on my game, doing my best to take revenge not only for myself but also for my brother. In the end, we won the game (68-64). It was a close game during the 4th quarter, but we still manage to win through teamwork. I was happy because we had just defeated the team that had made my previous year's basketball league experience terrible.

BLACK VS RED HIGHLIGHTS:

#basketball #red #black #revenge #love #sleepwell #Youtube

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"Unexpected Injury"

Injuries are unavoidable in sports. Every athlete knows this. Not for me, anyway. I thought I was immune to injuries after years of playing basketball. I had no broken bones, dislocations, tears, or other forms of injuries. I did, however, suffer from cuts, muscle soreness, and knee swelling. Yet I didn't consider them injuries because an injury would damage my body and make me ineligible to play.

During those years, I was convinced that I would be able to play basketball while escaping career-ending injuries. Not until my arm was wrenched during a game with visitors, dislocating the bone beneath my elbow. My heart is pumping rapidly at that moment. My thoughts rush through my mind as I consider how I will write with my right arm dislocated. How am I going to complete my pile of schoolwork after the game? How am I going to play in the upcoming summer basketball league? More importantly, how would I conceal this from my mother? Numerous questions and thoughts race through my mind as my teammate checks my elbow and promptly restores the displaced bone. I was in a lot of discomfort. My life flashes before my eyes. Fortunately, I have friends who assisted me in returning home. They even assisted me in placing an ice pack and support on the damaged area.

After several days, my injured elbow has almost fully recovered. I was able to move it to the point where I could once again dribble the ball. However, it still hurts, specially when I extend my arm. One day before the TCH Summer League 2023's opening, I was disappointed about my injury and on the verge of quitting as it still aches. I want to play, but I can't due to my situation. Later that day, my teammates asked me if I could play because they told me that they need my help during the game. From that, I keep in mind the promise I made to myself and them the day I put on my red jersey: I will give my best to win it all. At that time, I looked for the best methods to treat my injury or at least, to relieve the discomfort in my elbow. According to my research, I must perform hot and cold compressions. I started by applying cold therapy to the affected area to lessen blood flow. It lessens the likelihood of swelling and tissue damage and lowers the rate of inflammation. Secondly, I use heat on the inflamed area to open the blood vessels, promote blood flow, and aid in the relaxation of tense and aching muscles.

My elbow can now move, although only within a narrow range, thanks to the treatment and prayers. At the very least, it lessens the pain in the injured area, which increases my likelihood of playing. In fact, I agree with Kobe Bryant's statements.

“Pain doesn’t tell you when you ought to stop. Pain is the little voice in your head that tries to hold you back because it knows if you continue, you will change.“ - Kobe Bryant

At tough moments, the pain we feel holds back the person who was destined to be great. As a stubborn person myself, I want to win. I want to help my teammates achieve the victory that we deserve. I want to prove to myself that no matter how bad things get, as long as I do my best to win, I will not stop. I told myself that the pain from my injury would not cause me to give up because we are taught as a society that quitting is a sign of weakness. The one thing you never do, no matter how much pain you're in or how horrible things are, is give up. Quitters are losers, and no one wants to be a loser.

#basketball #injury #no pain no gain #kobe bryant #do not give up

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"Destined to be Red"

"Believe deep down in your heart that you’re destined to do great things." – Joe Paterno

With the recent announcements of the members of each team for the TOWN & COUNTRY HILLS SUMMER LEAGUE 2023, it appears that I am destined to be on the red team. The members of each team were chosen at random, and I am delighted to be paired with my greatest friends as well as my father and brother. How lucky am I to have been teamed with them?

In comparison to last year's summer league, I am grouped with folks I do not usually play with and who are unaware of my basketball talent. Teaming up with them felt like a bun waiting for the opportunity to be served. I was left on the bench for several games, and my buttocks hurt while I waited for my coach to use me in the game. One which saddens me is that my brother and I sat the entire game while watching our teammates who played the entire game. It bothers me since it appears like they do not trust us. We paid for the quota, but we didn't even get to participate, which is a huge loss of money. The only realization that I took away from that experience was that I needed to focus on myself and improve my game and keep training in order to be trusted by my coach and teammates.

In response to Joe Paterno's quote, I agree that we all have greatness within us. That is why athletes, players, and other individuals should not be benched, not just in any type of sport, but in all aspects of life. We are all meant to do great things. We, however, must believe in ourselves because we cannot expect others to do it for us. 

Fortunately, I've been assigned to a new team with new teammates in this year's basketball league. With that lineup, I can say that this is a great opportunity for me to showcase my talent because I am very comfortable with my teammates who know my basketball capabilities. As our team color, red, symbolizes, I will play basketball with all of my strength and aggression so that our opponents perceive me as a threat.

"Last year, I was benched for me to learn a lesson. This year, I am destined to be great and be red for a specific reason." ~ Allen T. (2023)

#teammates forever #basketball #friends #family #red #soon to be champions

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The Process of Believing and Training

Playing basketball day after day appears to be tiresome and monotonous to others. Yet, I see it as part of the process of excelling and growing in the sport I've loved ever since I was a child. It's a process with the purpose of proving not just to myself but also to others who doubt my capabilities.

Several of my doubters told me, "You play basketball every day... game after game, and you still don't get better!" And one time, they even asked me if I could keep up with other basketball players because I can’t win games. Those are just a few of the criticisms I've received from those who doubt and distrust my capacity to achieve success in the game. To be honest, those words lingered in my head for days, and they still bother me when I play basketball. Not until I realized that stressing about what other people say is pointless. It will not benefit me and, in the end, it will be my loss if I allow it to consume me. From that day forward, I learned to believe in my abilities while also looking for methods to improve myself. Every day, I worked out hard. I exercise to strengthen my body. And every now and then, I join training sessions with friends of mine who compete in basketball leagues. As a result, I was able to observe improvements in my basketball performance. All I have to do is simply believe in myself and be consistent, which is undoubtedly the most significant component of working toward my goal of proving to myself that I can be not just better, but the best version of myself when playing basketball.

"Don’t let your guard down, players! Believe in yourself and work on yourself. Sooner or later, those negative criticisms will be converted into compliments." ~ Allen T. (2023)

HIGHLIGHTS OF IMPROVEMENT!

#basketball #training #trust the process #no pain no gain #believing is winning #trust yourself