I still remember the not-so-stylish gold jerseys that we had to wear and the bagginess of my shorts that made me look like an early 2000s rapper. It was the first time I played a Huron Basketball in the Dome Gym. My freshman year: the season was characterized by the grind of having two-hours of practice each day and learning about the work required to win games at the high school level. My favorite memory of the season has to be the time I came off a screen with 12 seconds left to hit a game-winning jump shot against Saline on their home floor. Being mobbed by my teammates afterwards gave me an idea of the brotherhood that Huron Basketball is and that is something I have carried with me every day since then.

Down in the lower gym, standing barely five and a half feet tall, I stepped onto the court for my first game against Skyline, one of our rival schools. And the game was over —and not to be cliché— in a flash, and thus began my Huron basketball career. I think a lot of seniors would say at this point in time that high school was painstakingly slow and that graduation cannot get here fast enough. To a certain extent I definitely agree, but when it comes to basketball, I am dumbfounded as to where all the time as gone. Staring out at the tall green bleachers and shiny hardwood floors that line the dome gym, I am confronted with feelings of nostalgia and bittersweetness that stem from the hours upon hours I have spent as part of the program. With senior night just around the corner, I see everything the program has meant to me. And though time has absolutely flown by, I still cherish every single moment.

Fastforwarding to my first year on the varsity team, I had to learn what it was like to contribute to the team without being a starter or one of the best players for the first time in my life. I learned to become a good teammate and make the most of my role to benefit the big picture. My shining moment came at home against Pioneer where I hit a three-pointer that changed the momentum of the game and allowed us to get the victory. During that season, my connection to the program only grew stronger, and with each game I strove to give it my all because I realized the end was not as far as it once seemed.

A few days now before my last game in the Riverdome, I will be sure to sink every moment in and enjoy it to the fullest. After that we will have a few more regular season games and then the playoffs, where we hope to add some more hardware to the school’s prestigious collection.  During my time with Huron Basketball I have experienced my fair share of both wins and losses, but beyond that I have been able to be a part of something I love doing and something bigger than just me. If I could go back to my first practice in ninth grade I would tell my younger self to make the most of every second, because the ball will stop bouncing at some point, and you want to end with no regrets. Even after this season is over though, I will carry with me the bond I have with those in the program and all the experiences we shared together, and for that I am forever grateful.