- 2016 Highlights
Personal Statement
My name is Abigail Herring. I am a 5'10 Junior at Fairfield High School in Fairfield PA. I have been playing basketball competitively since I was 8 years old. I played in my town's local rec league until 6th grade,and then beginning in 7th was when I had the chance to play as a Fairfield Knight. I played two seasons at my middle school and then my freshman year started a whole new ball game. I quickly realized that I was no longer playing "Little kids" but playing with girls that were bigger, faster and stronger than me. From that point forward I knew that my game had to step up a level. Not only did I have to step up my game physically, but I had to focus my mindset on beating my opponent. I had to figure out what advantages that I did have over them. One thing that always pulled me through was my ability to create a shot. If my opponent was taller than me I knew my shot had to be quicker, for I knew it had the potential to be blocked on the inside. If my opponent was shorter than me, my height gave me a major advantage. But the game of basketball cannot be played only by your performance on the offensive end. You must be able to uphold the duties on the defensive end as well. You must identify the shooters on the team and know where they are at all times on the court. But the thing that I feel is most important is being able to see the play before it unfolds. By having this ability, I feel as though you are already ahead of the ball game.
Many of my previous coaches have found many ways to relate the game of basketball to the game that everyone plays- life. Hitting that winning shot in a close game can feel like reaching a huge goal. Making that one silly turnover can be like making a small mistake in your life. Getting a shot blocked, is like a bump in the road and should make you more determined to make the next one and beat what was stopping you before. To me basketball is not only a sport that I play but something that I can relate everything to. It is my passion, it is my lifestyle and I wouldn't be who I am without it.
Basketball has not only taught me many things about life but has taught me many things about people as well. It has taught me that you will encounter many people you will come to love, and many that you will come to dislike. No matter which you meet, they will teach something that you never knew before. I have learned that you have to take what everyone says to you and funnel everything into achieving greatness. Take the bad and the good, and add them together to make great.
Life is like a basketball game, you will always have that bad ref, you will make silly turnovers, but there will come a time when you will hit that winning shot and everything will fall into place. Get ready. Get set. Play ball.
