Sometimes my second home can seem quite odd to some people. They often think it may be a friends house in which I stay or a relatives house. Well, for me, it is the basketball gym. There are many around some nicer than others but none of them to me beats the one right down the street from my house. It is a recreation center and I have been playing there for the longest.The building is of medium size and is painted yellow. Many times the building gets overlooked because of the local high school and how giant that is. Around it there is a pool, baseball field, and a neighborhood market. Many people come here daily to just watch people play pick up games and watch their friends place some ball. Whenever I have free time you can see me there either by myself or with a couple of friends. Growing up I felt like the gym was like heaven because of how kind the people were.
I started playing here at a very young age. I give much credit to those parents that volunteered their time to coach all of the children trying to play. When you are young it is often a place where parents send you so you can get some exercise and lose some of the baby fat. For me, it was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Basketball and baseball were my two favorite sports if I wasn’t playing one I was playing the other. This gym helped me to start my career. From the moment I walked in I knew that this was something that I loved and was going to stick too. Our first tryouts were about to begin and I remember I wanted to do my best because I heard we were getting evaluated and would eventually get drafted. I felt like I was going to go to the NBA. My tryout went well I made three of my first four shots and made both of my free throws. The drills weren’t too long because there were so many kids. One of the coaches pulled me aside after and asked for my name, he told me that I did a great job and that he wanted me for his team. I was delighted I went home and was waiting for that phone call to see where I was going and sure enough it was the same guy who called. From then on I knew him as coach Tony. He taught me pretty much everything how to dribble, how to shoot and how to play defense. I thank that guy for everything he did for me. I had to give something back to him so I helped him get his first championship as well as mine. I played with him as coach for three seasons. For the other two seasons two other coaches drafted me and it just wasn’t the same. I was sad but many times after school I would go there and see him and we would play pickup games together. That gym was life. The concrete walls covering us and making the fans cheering seem twenty times louder. Those were the years. I still go now and not much has changed people have gotten older the stage at the backside of the gym is still the same with its big red curtain. The competition is a little bit more competitive but who isn’t up for a little challenge. The three-point line is my home inside that home I love shooting from back there but I am never hesitant to drive in. This place will always be a part of me for many years to come. One day maybe I will go back and coach my own team and make new memories. For now I will stick to playing pick up games with friends.
Albert Miramontes is currently a student at California State Northridge. In his free time he enjoys playing the game of basketball.