Gio Moscone

Mr. Dufresne

10 Lit Comp

November 1, 2021

Where do I fit in?

My mom tried to convince me, “you’ll make new friends, and it would be fun.” I didn’t

really see it that way. I saw it as preparation for basketball, even though I was better at Lacrosse.

I didn’t really know the coaches, but I kind of knew the players. “You’re going to make Varsity

Gio.,” said Burchi, I was confident heading into tryouts, but I knew I wouldn’t play much when

we played. “I know but I don’t think I’m going to play much.” I responded, not quite optimistic

about myself.

“I told you I’d make varsity,” I bragged to my mom, “First Moscone to make a Varsity

team as a freshmen.” I did all that bragging but I didn’t really have a role on the team, you could

say I was backups backup. I was fine with it, less work for me. After the game I see everyone’s

parents, “great job Gio,” they would say, but I never did, anything. I ran around a little bit but we

were already up by 10, I didn’t even impact the game. But time flies by, games go by, still have

the same role as usually. Backup.

Then, of course, one day at school I’m approached by the vice principle during school. I

got Covid tracing, of course the person I was sitting next to during PSAT’s gets Covid. Just my

luck. My dad saw this as time for me to get better though, “go outside and shoot on the net,” he

says, trying to get me to do something, “you want to get better don’t you?” I ignore him. I think

to myself, “of course I want to get better, I just don’t want practice.” But all I ever do is practice

basketball, so why can’t it just translate over?

 After my 2 weeks are up and I’m back to go, I’m starting. “Wait I’m actually starting?” I

asked, confused on what happened. “We told you, Andrew out and so is Ryan.” Welp, might as

well go out there and do what I do best and run around, I thought. And it worked, I gained a ton

of confidence from this one game, “Let’s go G, 6 goals in the first half! Not bad.” The game

went by so fast, we already one 19 to 6. “I think its obvious who the game balls going to, Its

gotta be Gio!” Yells my coach. I was starting to get pumped up, and so was my team, I think to

myself, “I think I’ve found my spot on this team.”

A couple more games go on and I was right, I was in the right spot and was in a groove

too, I felt Dangerous. Against Notre Dame Prep I hit one of my best goals which was a beautiful

behind the back shot, to try and get in the goalies head, my teammate Jake goes, “that’s going on

the highlight reel,” the goalie says, “it wasn’t even that cool.” I could tell he was pretty mad

about that one. We still ended up losing, but the experience was building up. Our biggest game

was almost here, De La Selle.

Games go by and these practices start to get really annoying, its like I’m living my life on

repeat. But I guess it all led up to the game, I push down a kid to start the game, “alright

asshole!” He wines. I just start laughing, buddy obviously doesn’t know how to play I thought.

Things are looking good heading into the 4th quarter, but fatigue started to creep in. We just

didn’t have any depth in our team and we got gassed. We ended up losing, but it was a close loss

against a top 30 team. We couldn’t get too disappointed in ourselves.

Playoffs are up now and we smoke we breeze through the first round. But of course we

play Lake Orion, top 20 in the state. This was going to be bad. But before the game I remember

something my coach said to me.

 “Get some friends on board and that team will be good, in 2013 me and by buddy’s

practiced all the time starting sophomore year, my senior year we played Catholic Central in the

regional final. We got smoke but we won districts which was great.”

I take a moment to think about it, I could get some friends to try it. Maybe he is right.

“alright bet, I’m looking forward to the next few years!” I didn’t think much about it at

the moment, but looking back on it he’s right.

It was obvious from the start we weren’t going to win. But it sucked when we got

smoked, 18 to 3. One of there defenders goes, “we could have beat you by more if we tried

harder.” What? We’re they really that good? So we really, had no chance.

We got killed that game but reflecting on that season, I realized my role on the team grew

substantially, and I know its going to keep on growing. So.. I gotta go to work