By Aseel Barghuthi,
Amman Baccalaureate School,
Amman, Jordan.

I like to think of myself as a good sport. As someone who doesn't mind losing. But deep inside, I feel pain knowing there's someone out there who's better than me.

This summer, I experienced this type of pain, and I also discovered a part of me that I've never known before. The "sore loser" part.

It all started when I was challenged by a friend of mine to a "friendly" game of basketball. A game up 'til 10, one point a bucket. Being the over-confident person that I am, I agreed, knowing I would win, hands down.

His first shot was in. Swish. Backboard layup. Fake, swish. Etc. I lost.

I made excuses that I was wearing sandals, and that it was dark, and that I would win if I were wearing my high-tops and playing on a real court. He laughed and challenged me to another game. I lost again, badly.

It was then I realized that over-confidence won't help my game. It was then I realized that I hadn't practiced in a while, and that my game was deteriorating. It was also then that I made a pact with myself to play three hours a day until college ball.

But that's not the point. The point is that, after I lost, I couldn't bring myself to look at my rival. I had often bragged to him about how I wanted to make it to the WNBA, and after that night, he will probably laugh if I even mention the "W" word.

Later that week, I was in Orlando, Fla., and I went to the last home Miracle game before the playoffs. The Washington Mystics were playing. It was a great game, and the Miracle's Nykesha Sales and Shannon Johnson were on fire, helping the home team win, 66-57.

However, when the game was over, I witnessed something that confused me, and that made me stop and think. Mystics player Chamique Holdsclaw was smiling, and laughing. "After being defeated by 13 points you're happy?" I thought to myself.

But, thinking about the night I lost twice in a row, to a guy who doesn't play as hard as I do, and doesn't love the game as much as I do, I knew why Chamique was smiling. It was because deep down inside, she knew that her team's loss didn't mean "complete annihilation and defeat." It only meant "momentary setback." It was because she believed her team could, and would, win eventually.

I then realized that the attitude she has is what I have been lacking. The ability to smile after the battle, the ability to believe that winning isn't everything.

I guess what I'm trying to tell all you ball girls out there is that if you lose once, twice, or even three times, it doesn't mean you'll lose every time. A loss is meant to teach you a lesson--that next time, you'll just have to try harder, and harder ... until one day, you succeed.

What it's not supposed to do is put you off the game, or get you down. Because, after all, what's life without basketball?

Motivational Quote of the Day:
"If at first you don't succeed, try try again."

kEeP oN pLaYiNg
#68

Aseel Barghuthi is in her senior year at Amman Baccalaureate School, in the country of Jordan, where she plays both point guard and shooting guard on the school team. She has also lived in the United States (Athens, Georgia) and England. She hopes to play college ball next year back in the United States. To contact Aseel with any comments or suggestions, e-mail her at aseel@index.com.jo