By Cole N. 

Walking into Big Ben’s Home Court, I could hear my shoes grip against the cold hard concrete while my friends bantered about who is the best basketball player – Lebron and Jordan? We walked into the building feeling the cold crispy air outside mix with the warm sweaty gym air through the double doors.

I heard people running as if they were going to kick the floor but rubbing the bottom of their shoes to make the loudest squeaking noise as if they were in a competition with each other. Going to sit down, I could smell the freshness of my new shoes from miles away as if they were produced just there and then and putting them on felt like I was a million bucks. 

I ran onto the court feeling the best ever, knocking down threes and jumpers and hearing the swish and snap in the air of the net. Making sharp cuts that I couldn’t before with my other shoes because they didn’t have as much grip as these because like I said they were produced right there and then. 

Boom! Coach barks, “Get to the line to do five exercise warm ups.” 

Everyone jogged in sync like we were in the military hearing the loud footsteps hitting the ground creating an almost earthquake-like vibration rattling the whole gym. 

Ian said, “Leg pulls.” 

Everyone proceeded to do it, feeling the stretch in the quad and almost hearing the muscle tenders stretch as if it was like a rubber band stretching back and forth in my leg. Running back to the line feeling that gym session the day before and sharp pains in my legs because of how sore I was, like someone was sticking a needle into my legs every time I put my foot down on the ground. 

Then Micheal said, “Karaoke.” 

Twisting my body was my worst nightmare. Everywhere below my waist hurt with extreme pain to even run. Thinking was it even possible to participate in this practice. 

Then Oscar shouted, “Open the gates and close on the way back.” 

Proceeding to do these for the first time I feel a sigh of relief in my legs that felt so good. Coming back from the other line, closing the gates felt even better than opening the gates. 

Mr. Johnson said, “Are we done?” 

Everyone said, “Yeah.” 

“Alright he said. Bring it in. Alright, you guys have 25 seconds to figure out a drill for layups. Ian said, “Kentucky drill.” Everyone yelled back, Okay. Everyone was scrambling around and yelling, We need balls down here. We need another player down here, hurry, come on fast. Boom! You hear the scary little but really deadly beep! “Down! Everyone gave me 5 (pushups). You could hear a little sigh from everyone. In disbelief that we couldn’t get layup lines going as a basketball team that we have been playing together for 2 or more years now. 

“Let’s go guys,” Ian said.

Mr. Johnson said, “Now you guys have twenty seconds to get this drill done and if not you guys are not done you guys are doing a forty-four.” (You have to do 4 laps in 44 seconds.)

Everyone goes running around like little kids that just took a bunch of sugar packets. Boom! Everyone is when their place, perfect to the last molecule. 

“Let’s go,” Mr. Johnson said, excited.