IftheDreamIsBigEnough,theFactsDon’tCount
Iusedtowatchherfrommykitchenwindow,sheseemedsosmallasshemuscledherwaythroughthecrowdofboysontheplayground.TheschoolwasacrossthestreetfromourhomeandIwouldoftenwatchthekidsastheyplayedduringrecess.Aseaofchildren,andyettome,shestoodoutfromthemall.
IrememberedthefirstdayIsawherplayingbasketball.Iwatchedinwonderassherancirclesaroundtheotherkids.Shemanagedtoshootjumpshotsjustovertheirheadsandintothenet.Theboysalwaystriedtostopherbutnoonecould.
Ibegantonoticeheratothertimes,basketballinhand,playingalone.Shewouldpracticedribblingandshootingoverandoveragain,sometimesuntildark.OnedayIaskedherwhyshepracticedsomuch.Shelookeddirectlyinmyeyesandwithoutamomentofhesitation.Shesaid,“Iwanttogotocollege.TheonlywayIcangoisifIgetascholarship.Ilikebasketball.IdecidedthatifIweregoodenough,Iwouldgetascholarship.Iamgoingtoplaycollegebasketball.Iwanttobethebest.MyDaddytoldmeifthedreamisbigenough,thefactsdon’tcount.”Ihadseenoverandoveragain.
Well,Ihadtogiveittoher—shewasdetermined.Iwatchedherthroughthosejuniorhighyearsandintohighschool.Everyweek,sheledhervarsityteamtovictory.
Onedayinhersenioryear,Isawhersittinginthegrass,headcradledinherarms.Iwalkedacrossthestreetandsatdowninthecoolgrassbesideher.QuietlyIaskedwhatwaswrong.“Oh,nothing,”cameasoftreply.“Iamjusttooshort.”Thecoachtoldherthatat5’5”shewouldprobablynevergettoplayforatoprankedteam—muchlessofferedascholarship—sosheshouldstopdreamingaboutcollege.
ShewasheartbrokenandIfeltmyownthroattightenasIsensedherdisappointment.Iaskedherifshehadtalkedtoherdadaboutityet.Sheliftedherheadfromherhandsandtoldmethatherfathersaidthosecoacheswerewrong.Theyjustdidnotunderstandthepowerofadream.Hetoldherthatifshereallywantedtoplayforagoodcollege,ifshetrulywantedascholarship,thatnothingcouldstopherexceptonething—herownattitude.Hetoldheragain,“Ifthedreamisbigenough,thefactsdon’tcount.”
Thenextyear,assheandherteamwenttotheNorthernCaliforniaChampionshipgame,shewasseenbyacollegerecruiter.Shewasindeedofferedascholarship,afullride,toaDivisionI,NCAAwomen’sbasketballteam.Shewasgoingtogetthecollegeeducationthatshehaddreamedofandworkedtowardforallthoseyears.
It’strue:Ifthedreamisbigenough,thefactsdon’tcount.
心中有目标,风雨不折腰
我曾经常常从厨房窗口观察她,她用力挤过操场上的一群男生时显得那么瘦小。学校在我们房子的对面,经常可以看见孩子们在课间休息的时候玩耍。那里有一大群孩子,但是对于我来说,她在人群中一样突出。
我记得第一次看见她时,她正在打篮球。我惊奇地看着她绕着那些孩子跑。她越过其他孩子的头顶成功投进球。男孩们总是试图拦阻她,但是没人能做到。我开始在其他时候注意她,她总是独自一人,手里拿着篮球练习。她一次次地练习带球,射篮,有时一直持续到天黑。有一天我问她为什么这么勤奋地练习。她直视着我的眼睛,毫不犹豫地说:“我想上大学。只有获得奖学金我才能上学。我喜欢篮球。我决定了如果我足够优秀,我就可以获得奖学金。我打算进校队。我想成为最优秀的球员。爸爸告诉我心中有目标,风雨不折腰。”
之后她微微一笑,跑向球场去做一遍遍的练习。是啊,我得承认——她意志很坚定。在初中,高中那些年岁里,我一直看着她。每周,她都会带领校队赢得胜利。她高三那年,我看见她坐在草地上,头埋进臂弯。
我穿过街道,坐在她旁边凉凉的草地上。我小声地问她出什么事了。“哦,没什么,”她柔和地回答。“我就是太矮了。”教练告诉她一米六五的她没法跻身高水平的球队——更不用说得奖学金——所以她不要再奢望上大学了。她很伤心,感觉到她的失望我也觉得喉头发紧。
我问她有没有把这事告诉她父亲。她从臂弯中抬起头,说她父亲说那些教练是错误的。他们不知道梦想的力量。他告诉她如果她真的想进一所好大学打球,如果她真的想得到奖学金,没有事情可以阻挡她,除了一样东西——她自己的态度。他对她说:“心中有目标
,
风雨不折腰。”第二年,当她和她的队伍进入北加州锦标赛时,她被一位大学招聘人员接见。她真的获得了奖学金,并且成为NCAA女子篮球队一队正式球员。她这么多年梦寐以求和不断拼搏的大学之梦终于圆了。
高考
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