All for you!

Shhhhhhhh… Breathe, bounce… bounce…bounce, arch and backspin, shwushhhhh. It’s a rush when that beginning whistle blows. My mind is at ease, because at that moment I forget every worry, doubt and question. I am officially in the game.

            My life has always been sports. Soccer. Swimming. Figure Skating. Horseback Riding. Track. Tennis. Basketball. Lacrosse. Name it, I played it.

            But, no experience compared to my senior basketball season. Because for the first time I had a purpose beyond my own desire, to play my best.

Her name was Chantice N. Caruth.   

After a year on the team, Chantice showed potential to be a great basketball player. But the next year she was forced to switch schools, and began to focus on her swimming talents. The team kept in touch with her, but the season just wasn’t going to be the same without her.

It was late September and basketball season was approaching, I was sitting at my computer late one night, when Chantice facebook chatted me. “Hey Sara, how have you been?” It was a short conversation…

…Little did I know it would be our last.

Two days later, September 30^th 2009, I received a phone call,

“Sara, Chantice just passed…”

Passed the ball? Passed you by in the hall? Passed her test?

I was wishing something would come after that word… but in the end she was gone.

It was our season opener. The crowd was cheering and the team was pumped. The anthem played and we sat down for introductions. I bowed my head knowing this was going to be a different season. Above our bench was her jersey Number 24 hung. We huddled…

Our cheer… “Chantice it’s for you”.

We won.

For you.

This was my best sports experience.

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