I start to jump up and down to calm the butterflies in my stomach. Even though we play 22 games a year, I still feel this way before every game. The music is loud in the locker room, and it eases the feeling a little. I’m not out in the gym yet, but I can picture the scene. Every one of the twelve players is dribbling a basketball, and a find myself dribbling to the beat of the song that is playing. The basketball’s bounce almost seems to blend in with the music as if it is an instrument. I am hoping tonight this instrument will work to our advantage.

Coach shuts off the music and the basketballs fall silent. There is a nervous excitement in the air as coach walks to the board. No one speaks. We just focus on the task ahead. The sound of Coach’s voice cuts through the muffled sound of the gym. As Coach begins to speak, everyone’s posture and attention resemble those in the military. As he wraps up his speech, the excitement builds. After the final words, the silence turns into a battle cry.

I walk out of the locker room with a stone cold look of determination on my face. I look around, and all of my teammates have the same intensity on their faces. The band that was muted out before, is now cutting through the crowd like a thunderstorm. This is a familiar sound, and the butterflies reappear in my stomach. I know the stands are full, but my mind blocks them out.

The jumping up and down begins again as the clock counts down as the girls play. Every second feels like a quarter to me. As the clock approaches zero, my heart starts to beat like a hummingbird's wings. When the clock finally hits zero, the buzzer sounds. Looks of pure determination return to our faces. The janitors have to sweep the floor and the wait makes me even more energetic to get out there.

The floor clears out like animals right before a storm hits. We hear the band start to play and both teams flood the floor. Both teams are giving each other scowl glares to try and intimidate one another. This doesn’t work because it just makes each team want to push extra hard to win the game. The clock hits five minutes and it signals for our team to head back into the locker room for one final talk before the game. Coach doesn’t say much, but what he does say touches every one of us in a special way. It makes me want to go get the victory for the team, not just for me.

The time has come when the starting lineups are going to be announced. I wait patiently for my name to get called. I think in that moment, “I just want to prove everyone who has doubted me wrong.” I am determined to win the game. I have what it takes, but it will take everything I have. It is going to take a lot more than the other team’s talent to make them win this game.

My name is called and I leap right up and high five my teammates. I know now, it is time to go to work. All the practices, running, and lectures from coach will have to pay off. It is as if they are all blurred together in my mind, instructing me on what to do as the ball soars through the air and seems to hang there forever. When the ball is tipped, my teammates grabs it, and I have a feeling it’s going to be a good game.