Coach & I
“Basketball became my place where I can go if I'm just feeling sad or when I'm going through a hard day. And that’s why I can just call it my safe place. And that’s why Coach Ayala is my safe person.”
When I met Coach Ayala, I was too nervous to ask him what he actually did. It was the first day of school. My nerves were really bad, and my sister, who was always there for me, wasn’t there on such an important day. Then I realized I wasn’t the only new one. There were people who were much more nervous and worried than I was. I finally gave myself the chance to get to know others and started to talk and participate in activities that I thought were really silly.
On the second day of school, I got up, did what I had to do, and walked to catch the Bx36 bus. I arrived at school and was super lost, which made my nerves even bigger, so I asked for help to get to school. When I arrived at my advisory, I realized that Ms. Fried and Ayala would be the people who would be with me for those four years of my life.
I didn’t think much about it at the time. I was more focused on who my new school friends would be. I realized that I had started off on the wrong foot. When I noticed that, my mood changed. I wanted to know new things, to learn new things. So, I started talking to Ayala and found out that it was his first year as a coach at Comp Sci High. This meant that we were both new. Maybe we were both nervous! But he wasn’t as nervous as I was.
I understood that Coach Ayala was a very important person at the school. I immediately told him that I wanted to play basketball, since my sister played at the school. I always saw her as a role model, so I decided I wanted to play, too. I got so excited about playing that my nerves seemed to disappear for a while, and I wasn’t thinking so much about making friends because I knew my friend would be basketball, as my sister told me.
Days passed, and I kept waiting for basketball season to start. The following week, my sister decided to go to school, and we did our usual morning routine, getting ready. We caught the Bx36 bus. When we got to school, she started introducing me to her friends. I no longer felt alone. I no longer felt as nervous. But there was a problem. When I entered high school, she had already been at the school for two years. This meant that someday she would leave for college, and I would be left alone.
I never said it, but that was my biggest fear. Losing her. We did almost everything together, and she was my greatest inspiration when it came to basketball. It’s not that I thought about her leaving every day, but I did when I felt lost in classes. I felt lost for not being at the same level of English as everyone else. Still, I try and continue to try to this day. Everything in life is about doing and learning new things, no matter how difficult.
I remember the days kept passing, and I kept asking Coach Ayala when tryouts would come. I didn’t know that tryouts would change my life in so many ways. Soon, the day came. I remember this day like it was yesterday, because that’s when I found out that I really enjoy playing basketball. In tryouts, we started running. After that we did layups, and we got to know each other's name. We finished it with shooting and at the end of that tryout, I thought that I didn’t make it. I saw the other girls and they were so good. I told myself at least I tried. That's what really mattered.
At the same time, I felt good by being there. Coach Ayala and the girls never talked about my level and that really made me feel welcome. The days went by and I was getting better and everybody noticed. Even Coach. Coach Ayala and I got so close that I would see him like my dad. He was there for me and my sister for everything we needed. It was so crazy. I felt like our bond was so natural.
After two years, my sister left the school and I actually wasn't sad at all. I was more focused on playing basketball and showing off so i could become a better player. I wanted Ayala to feel proud of me. I tried my all and I'm still trying my best. Basketball became my place where I can go if I'm just feeling sad or when I'm going through a hard day. And that’s why I can just call it my safe place. And that’s why Coach Ayala is my safe person.