Monday, April 8, 2013

Diary Of A Baller: Azar “A.Z.” Swain (Boston, MA) Entry #4

 
Azar On Easter Sunday 

Dear Diary, Even though I am 14 years old, I still woke up to an Easter basket. It was a surprise because I wasn’t really expecting it. My dad is funny like that sometimes. I haven’t had a day where I can just lay back and chill in a long time. It felt really good to be able to just kick back and eat some good food. I went out to eat at a really nice restaurant earlier in the day. It was setup like a buffet, and when I left, I was stuffed! About an hour later, I got home just in time for the Michigan vs. Florida game. Michigan is looking really good going into the Final Four. They are definitely a threat to win the National Championship. After I watched that game, I did some cleaning up while watching the Louisville vs. Duke Game. When I saw the play that Kevin Ware got injured on, I was in shock. I could not believe that something like that could happen to a human being. My thoughts and prayers most definitely go out to him, his recovery, and his family. That was the worse sports-related injury I had EVER seen. Anyways, after that game, I did a little bit of studying for the week in Spanish. I got to bed early that night, and it was great to have a day to chill. It’s back to the grind tomorrow! Goodnight Diary.


Good Morning Diary, What’s your opinion on hard work? What is hard work? A lot f people say it nowadays just because they are involved with sports, but they really don’t know what it takes. Hard work doesn’t just take place in sports. It also happens in the classroom. School is the #1 thing that will bring you to the next level. I once heard from a great coach that you need G.A.M.E. to get a D1 scholarship. G=Grades, A=Ability, M=Motivation, and E=Exposure. You need the grades, you need to have the ability to make positive things happen, you need to have motivation to keep pushing yourself to the next level, and you need exposure for people to know you. I realized that this is the truest and realest formula for trying to get a D1 scholarship to play sports. Anyways, today was good because it felt kind of good to get back to school. I am one of the kids that actually love school. I just wanted to see all of my friends. I love the fact that at my school, everyone likes each other. There is a different kind of freedom at Rivers that most people wouldn’t understand, unless they attend Rivers. That night, I went to a good workout in Boston from 6-8 that I go to every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday with Coach Boswell. Until tomorrow… Peace Out Diary 

What up Diary, I woke up on this Tuesday morning full of excitement for some reason. It might have just been from a good dream or something, but all I know is that I was ready for the day. I had a good day at school with my friends. After school, it was time for baseball. Haha and boy, was I ready for that as well! I like baseball because it’s not one of my main sports, so I feel free to try new things. I think that I have gotten better from last year to this year. It’s crazy too because I haven’t practiced it or anything. When baseball practice was finished, I headed into Boston on the bus, where my dad picked me up to go to a basketball workout. We went and did a workout from about 5-8. I love the feeling after I workout. I like knowing that I made progress, and didn’t go backwards. As my day came to an end that night, I did homework so that I could be ready for Wednesday. I went to bed around 10-10:30, which is about 7 hours of sleep. That’s enough for me to be fully charged in the morning. I’m loving Life right now. There’s nothing to complain about. Goodnight Diary! 

How you doing Diary, I have been having some trouble with an important issue. How do you balance sports, school, your social life, and family time? It’s nearly impossible. I have been thinking about different methods and ways that could possibly be efficient for me to do. They have basically been mostly unsuccessful. In order to be great in sports, you must put the time and effort in. In order to be a great student, you have to put the time and effort in. In order to make and keep friends, you have to put the time in again in order to keep them. In order to keep your family happy, you have to spend time with them and try to make them proud. There just simply isn’t enough time in a day. I’m going to try to start to get the hang of it by putting more time and effort into the things I do and love to do. It’s all about time management. Next year when I enter high school, I will have to be good at managing my time correctly. I try to put time into the things I do, so that I can pick up good habits sooner than later. That’s a good idea to get started on time management earlier than later. Until tomorrow… 

What up Diary, While watching the recent march madness and NBA games, I have realized that the definition of a point guard is one who keeps his team comfortable when they are uncomfortable, and the point guard is an extension of the coach on the floor. A PG has to know what his/her teammates play like. They have to know their strengths, as well as their weaknesses. They must know what makes them mad, what motivates them, and what makes them happy. The PG is the foundation of a team’s chemistry. They have the ability to make plays, and run the plays. The PG once again, must know their team and what gets them motivated. I really like Michael Carter-Williams from Syracuse University (Final Four team this year). The problem with him is at times, he can be reckless and out of control, which usually lead to a high turnover rate. That has been my weakness area in the past as well. As I transitioned to the point guard spot, I realize how important taking care of the ball is. A turnover can switch the outcome of a game in an instant. Usually nothing good comes out of turnovers. I am really starting to like the PG position but I’m still going to bury three’s if people don’t respect the fact that I can shoot. Goodbye Diary. 

What up Diary, Today is Friday, and it is the last day of classes for the week. At Rivers this week, we had visiting days for students that were accepted into the school. After school, I usually have baseball. Today was slightly different. Instead of me going to baseball practice, I went to the trainers to ice my legs. I definitely needed it. I had been feeling sore for the past 2 weeks. When I was finished icing, I did some homework, then caught the 6 pm bus. When I got home, I tried to balance out schoolwork and socializing with friends, which was unsuccessful like always. It never seems to work. So then, I had to choose one, so I chose schoolwork because no friends or sports come before taking care of that schoolwork, unless it’s an emergency. I’m so glad that it’s the weekend. Peace Diary! 

Good Morning Diary, Today, I would like to share something about me. I am a city boy. I would definitely want to live downtown Boston somewhere. I have always loved going into the Prudential Building in Downtown Boston to look over the entire city, ever since I was a little kid. The lights do inspire and have an influence on me. Boston is a small city compared to Los Angeles and New York, but Boston has always been my home. I feel more comfortable in the city than in the country. My dad always takes me to New York just to get away sometimes when things get too crazy. When I was younger, I moved to Florida. When I was around 5 years old, I returned back to Boston. I am happy that my parents moved back to Boston. Ever since my Kindergarten days, I have loved it here and everything about it. I think all cities are beautiful. Sports in Boston are great. The weather doesn’t affect me because I like the cold weather. When I do end up leaving and going off to college, I will never forget the people I have met and the way the city makes me feel. I will never forget the bright lights and TD Garden as you drive over the Zakim Bridge in downtown. It’s a memorable sight. No matter where I go and live, Boston will always be my home. 

Peace, A.Z.