What’s good everybody this is Blair “Fresh” Howard and this my first diary entry for Basketball Spotlight. Before I start I just want to give thanks to Mike Melton and Basketball Spotlight for giving me this opportunity.This past weekend was the Columbus Day challenge in Mass and my team did not do as well as we usually do. I think it’s my fault because I was rushing things and not taking my time. I was matched up against Chris Atkinson (Team Scan) and Juwan Gooding (Expressions) in two much hyped games. The game against Expressions my team fought hard in, but we only had 7 players (a lot of our players play Pop Warner Football) and we lost. It was a good match-up between Juwan Gooding and me going head to head the whole game, but he led his team to the win. I felt bad for my coach and teammates because I felt like I let them down by getting to hyped and not focusing on team ball. We are without our big man (Chir Maker) so it puts more of the responsibility on me. My coach (Reggie Hatchett) is always talking to me about the life lessons within basketball. He said this was a lesson in humility. No matter how good I am on the court, if I don’t learn how to be humble, God will find a way to humble me. I think he is right because I could not find my rhythm all weekend. It was a hard lesson, but I understand now.
In a few more weeks practice will be starting for the Central Connecticut Travel League. I play for the squad from Hartford. Last year we won the championship in all three grades and were going for that goal again this year…WE RUN THIS STATE!!! Soon our 5am practices will begin, my coach stresses conditioning to keep us in shape and I am so glad he does that. These next few weeks I am going to chill and relax. But even when I say I/m relaxing, I still work out at home because my dad is a personal trainer, so I can’t ever get away from it. LOL.
I am also grinding right now to get my GPA up so I can satisfy my school requirements. I go to Capital Preparatory Magnet here in Hartford and it’s one of the best schools in the country (Google us!!!) so I have to produce in the classroom just as much as I do on the court. But I am focused on finishing middle school on top and making a run for the Basketball Spotlight’s Player of the Year Trophy. I’ll holla back at ya’ll next week.
“Fresh” out!
