Losing My Edge :: Personal Narrative, Autobiographical Essay

Losing My Edge I was friends with everyone on the North team, our rivals, but during the season, we seemed liked enemies. We always talked crap to each other. "Who's going to state this year?" We would say. Back to us they would respond, "Who went to State last year?" The whole season, we anticipated playing North. It all started since the first practice. Our coach would scream, "North is practicing harder than you, they are getting in shape, they are preparing." This made us very angry and his tactics to do better did push us. The day seemed so far away, but the calendar days grew closer and closer to this well-prepared day. I made sure to eat my carbohydrates and to get enough sleep the night before. Finally I had reached the day, and school dragged on forever. The bus ride took forever as we traveled the thawed out highways, anticipation was in the air. When entering the gym, after debarking the bus, I took a deep breath as my stomach filled with butterflies, thinking about everything I carried on my shoulders and all that was expected of me, especially when imagining everyone who would be there. My parents, sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, peers, coaches and teammates all expected the best. "How nerve racking." I muttered under my breath. When we were in the lockeroom, I felt cadged like an animal. "This its it! It's your turn." Our coach yelled. Finally we escaped from the lockeroom into the crowded gym. This would determine who would go to the State Tournament. Excitement raced through our bones, as our names were announced for the line-up. "Jenna Osheim, 6'0'', senior forward!" My body got the shivers as I ran to the middle of the floor. The referee threw the ball into the air and the race was on. Half time, and the game w as neck in neck. Time ticked away and we were both battling back and forth. "Come on Jenna, it's up to us!" a teammate of mine said to pump me up. I wasn't having a very good game and was getting down on myself. We couldn't lose to this team, as we did the year before. We battled back and forth, we would score, and then they would answer our call. The last minute lasted forever, the referee made a bad call and buzzer finally sounded, leaving us to fall short of one point to have a total score of 54-53.