Adapting and Thriving Outside of Comfort Zone: Susie and Basketball

When it comes to basketball, most of us immediately picture a tall boy in a sweatshirt and shorts floating in the air holding a ball in his muscular, outstretched arms (or maybe the Air Jordan logo). Yet today, 15-year-old Susie, a student at WLSA Shanghai Academy, talks about her athletic experience playing basketball.

In primary school, sports were not her thing at all. Her encouragement stems from the fact that her physical fitness improved after her parents took her jogging. After that, she was no longer a passive runner, but actively tried a variety of sports: She played tennis for four years, led her school soccer team for two years, and won medals in track and field. However, she stopped all these activities out of frustration.

After a few years of patient trial and error, what ultimately shaped Susie would be her love for basketball.

After several games, it already seemed pretty interesting as I got used to cooperating with the team. The wild and vibrant nature of basketball games is especially attractive to me. As I carefully approached and pushed through, it started to become entertaining as I experimented with shooting at different angles, dribbling, and playing around with fake moves.

Persisting in basketball gave her a sense of fulfillment in overcoming inferiority. Training with boys was, at first, challenging. Being viewed as timid and clumsy, her teammates rarely pass the ball to Susie and she hesitates whenever the ball is in her hands; even if she did, she would immediately pass it to her teammates, afraid of making the wrong move and getting cold-eyes.

Knowing this vicious cycle had to end, Susie sought out a coach. With firm determination, she gave two years of uninterrupted effort. Now she could shoot with precision and confidence. Her teammates trusted her, and she got the ball from them several times during games, which in turn boosted her own confidence. She was able to outscore girls who were 2 years older than her. Losing no longer meant everything to her - "Start again and train harder" is her mantra.

No matter how busy Susie is, she is always one of the active participants in PE class - even when her classmates slack off on PE to prepare for exams. She also always manages to find time on the weekends to work out with her coach. For her, basketball is an essential part of her daily life. She spends 3 hours a week playing the sport.

Susie shoots the ball in the game

When asked about how she kept her commitment, she answered: “Sports itself makes me happy and is essential for my well-being. Receiving positive feedback, like cheers from teammates and coaches make me feel supported and emboldened!” With these in mind, she never feels that doing sports is an obligation, but rather an alternate source of healthy hormones.

"Of course, there are some setbacks. I usually get blocked on shots or layups because I am smaller and weaker. But that's exactly why I train - to get good!"

And she is good indeed. Why is that?

I originally thought that male hormones simply build their muscles, that's why boys look effortless. I was so wrong! The magic is competition – when you compete with each other you can't stop yourself from training. You would want to get better. Even without hormones, I still grew muscles. I wasn't behind the boys that much.

In China, not enough girls participate in sports. Girls must oftentimes team up with boys, which is absolutely out of their comfort zone, as they rarely find a community without the presence of males. Susie encourages girls and especially to-be female athletes to be brave even if it means playing with boys. “Try training with boys in both fitness centers and basketball – it changes how you view boys. It teaches you a lot.”

In fact, playing with boys might not be intimidating in real life:

“​​The boys all respect me just like they respect each other. They also established a rule of not blocking girl’s shooting (but I’m okay with it so they often block me) and not using their body to bump against girls in order to shoot. They are also really kind and said sorry multiple times even after only a small collision with each other.”

From sports, she gained a lot. She underwent a drastic transformation, from the shy and reticent student to the upbeat girl that not just excels in sports, but also manages to stand out in her grade, being one of the top 15% of students with a strong GPA.

Susie (left one) stands on the podium

For girls who also share the love of ball games, play hard but keep safe! Susie herself has witnessed many girls shriek when a ball passes by. Girls should overcome this fear but also remember to be aware of their surroundings while on the court!