I never saw it coming, my experience with failure hit me hard because I was never expecting it. It was my freshman year of high school in the winter. Everybody who knows me, expects me to be a superstar in sports. A couple of my friends and I were trying out for the junior varsity basketball team although I have been playing basketball for quite long. I just did it for fun. I knew I was not the best basketball player, but I could at least try. On the fourth day, cuts were made. Everybody was so anxious. I felt good about myself but you still never know; there were butterflies in my stomach. Coach was calling back our names one by one telling us if we made the team or not. I felt like I was sitting there for hours. Finally my name was called; coach said “Hi Erin thank you for trying out for the team but you did not make it, you just need to practice more but I would like you to be our manger/practice player.” I had started to cringe, I told her “Sure I will try it out.”

My mom was outside in the car waiting for me, expecting me to make the team. When I got in the car, my mom said “How did it go?” I broke down. I did not know how to tell her “I did not make the team but she wants me to be a practice player.” I never really experienced something like this before. In my book, this was my failure, but I decided to try it out. Even though I knew it was going to be extremely hard just to practice and not even going to be near the game. The next day at practice, our coach was giving out uniforms. Coach has given everyone a uniform who is supposed to get one. Coach is reaching in the box and said “Erin, it is your lucky day.” and she pulled out a uniform. I grew a smile from ear to ear. At the end of practice coach pulled me aside and said “Don’t expect too much playing time.” I thought that was fair.
As the season, went on I sat the bench most of the time, but we had one game where coach let me in I was so ready it was my time to shine. Then on to the next game coach puts me in. I am thinking “Is this a mistake.” Thinking to myself I do practice my hardest all the time and there is always hope to shine. Well the season continues and I am getting more playing time then some of the girls who made the team.

Failure struck me hard that day because of the results of something that I had my heart set on. The lesson I learned from my experience was to never give up and compete with everything. I am glad I experienced this because now I never lose fate in something that I want to be the best in and as Cal Ripken Jr. said “Find something that pushes you.” and this experienced definitely did.