Very rarely does a person's actions inspire me

"Adversity and how it is dealt with is the true measure of strength. Perseverance kid, you got it."

Tonight, I sat in on a High School basketball game and what I took away from it was something I had not expected in the least. I would not have posted again so soon, but it was the events and actions at this game that pressed me to sit down and write. So, here we go!


As some or many of you may know, the reason I attended said game was because my cousin, Samuel Bovalino, is a starter for Central Square's varsity basketball team. I expected a typical game and an average night spent inside an old gym I hadn't seen since I graduated in twenty twelve. I supposed I really expected to see some former teachers resulting in that being the highlight of the night. I was wrong and I'm glad I was.

Instead what I was able to witness really and truly inspired me. It wasn't so much the game itself, as Central Square was trailing after the second quarter and would go on to lose. It was the actions and decisions made by several people and one very specifically. All night, my cousin Sammy was tormented by the CNS student body who sat on the bleachers pictured above. Chanted in unison was everything from the very classy, 'Sammy's buttcheeks' to 'Sammy's crying' and I'm sure other even more rotten and ignorant slanders in between when he'd pass by their section during game play. They were truly relentless tonight, even going the extra mile by sporting camouflage, flannel, and hunting regalia in attempts to mock all the supposed hicks in Central Square. That in itself was laughable.

The ignorance and disrespectful display put on by Cicero-North Syracuse students as well as players (as many showed un-sportsmanship-like actions such as purposefully kicking the ball out of play during pass-ins by Central Square and roughing nearly every player) disappointed me and quite frankly made me ashamed to be an alumni. Needless to say I sat with my family, in full support of my family, on the rival side that was the Central Square adult section.

Through all the garbage, my cousin stood in the face of adversity and played the game hard. He kept his composure as an entire student body discredited him. How many can say that? How many could handle that? In my estimation, not many. As said, it is not often that a person's actions within my own life inspire me. Tonight, I was inspired by my younger cousin. After all, every team and player has an off night, but only once in a very great while can one player walk off the court totally victorious due to what they faced and how they dealt with it. Even in defeated, tonight in my opinion, Sammy walked off the court the biggest winner of the night.

Later on, I texted my cousin after viewing the filth that his twitter had acquired (compliments of CNS students) and made sure that he was sure that he knew who he was. I assured him that he should of been proud and that he had nothing to be disappointed in. He told me that no matter what he'd never stop working and that he truly loves the sport of basketball. Admirable heart to say the least. He then told me that his family inspires him and I was sure to let him know that he inspired his family tonight.

As I walked out of the gym with about a minute left in the game, I was taken back. As many of Central Square's parents left around the same time to beat later traffic that was all but guaranteed, CNS' students chanted 'goodbye'. Indeed it was a goodbye. A goodbye to what I had thought CNS was and stood for. Their actions and the way my cousin reacted to them made me very proud to sit on the Red Hawks' side.

In closing, I'd like to congratulate my cousin for an even more worthy victory than any he could have captured on the court tonight. After all, the will to continue on and succeed often brings exactly that; success. Well done, Sam.

                                                                                                                        - Austin