We had a weeklong holiday for National Day in early October. While many of my friends had fun traveling out of Shenzhen, I dedicated myself to basketball training. Mainly focusing on defense, we had four straight days of rigorous training before we could rest for a day. For me, the defense-oriented training was quite challenging. The biggest hurdle was a lack of self-confidence. For instance, in one-on-one defense situations, some players were not only taller and stronger but also faster and more skilled. I would feel intimidated and dreadful. I was well aware of my weaknesses. Every time they pressed on with an attack, I could sense my legs tensing up slightly, and my hands seemed to twitch involuntarily as if I’d lost control. I was so afraid of failing to cut off their forward progress or blocking their passing lanes that my brain became a jumbled mess. Once, I was defending a really quick player. As he began to accelerate, his feet moved like lightning, swiftly changing directions. I felt as if my feet were glued to the floor. In a panic, I completely forgot my defensive moves. All I could do was stretch out my arms and flail them about aimlessly. Naturally, he easily dribbled past me, leaving me extremely frustrated. Fortunately, the coach came to my help. He told me that failure doesn’t define a person as long as they can identify their weaknesses and muster up the courage to work on them. He then formulated a tailored training plan for me, improving not just my footwork skills but also my defensive awareness. Gradually, I overcame my fear. In the following training sessions, when faced with opponents, I could stand firmly, with my knees slightly bent and ready to move. My eyes were fixed intently on my opponents’ every move. When they made a feint or an actual attempt to pass me, I could shift my feet quickly. My feet moved deftly, as if performing a well-choreographed dance on the court. I no longer hesitated or panicked. Instead, I was able to assess my opponents’ movements and plan my next move. My practice improved my skills, which in turn boosted my self-confidence. Finally, I was able to enjoy basketball and excel at it. | 