From Courtside to On Court: Back In Uniform Again

The last time I was on the basketball court with a real team was about thirty months ago. It was March 6th, 2007. My high school team, the Brattleboro Colonels of Vermont, lost in the Division 1 state semifinals to Burlington High School in UVM’s Patrick Gymnasium my senior year.

Now, three seasons, one presidential election, and several tuition bills later, I’ve decided to lace ‘em back up and play for the Vassar basketball team my junior year.

I survived the last two years without playing a sport by living vicariously through others with my job in the Sports Info office. My specialty in the winter months was basketball, for which I would write game stories and keep in-game statistics. I would satisfy my need to play by working out and playing intramurals.

Clearly, those things were not enough. This winter, I’ll be wearing a jersey instead of a button-down. I’ll make sure to show my face around the office (hence the blog), but I’ll have a different perspective come game time.

The season officially started last Thursday. We’ve already had seven practices, and are in the midst of a week of double-sessions as the rest of Vassar relaxes for fall break. My body is beginning to remember what it feels like to be a full-time athlete. It feels like sprained ankles, suicides, and bags of ice. It feels like mind and body fatigue melding together to the point where I’m actually thinking about what it would take to install a hot tub on my dorm floor. It feels like time commitment.

But I’m also starting to remember why I joined. Why I felt like I was selling myself a bit short the last two years playing pickup games against opponents wearing jean shorts. As grueling as continuous suicides on tired legs can be, there’s nothing like the feeling of saving your team from running by hitting a free throw to end a drill. Or netting a three-pointer to win an intersquad scrimmage. Or grabbing a rebound over a taller opponent.

These last two years have showed me that there is no way to replace being on a team. I can’t stand not competing. I am glad to be back. It’s been a while.