2020 has been a difficult year for everyone. Covid-19 has had a huge impact on each of us in different ways, and has caused many a lot of struggles and change. For me, High school went online; it was all new and confusing. I was named a BC High School Basketball provincial All-Star and selected for the 3pt Shooting Contest, just to find out the game wouldn’t be happening. Graduation was cancelled to keep everyone safe, which was understandable, but a difficult milestone to lose.
The hardest thing to wrap my head around was that going to the United States to play university basketball was not an option, because of the risk of contracting the virus and not being able to come home because of restrictions. This realization was difficult because playing collegiate sports was something I had worked towards and dreamt about for the past four years, and to have it taken away was a harsh reality that was not easy to face.
I thought long and hard about what my next steps would be, so that I could still strive towards my goal of playing basketball at the next level. It dawned on me that if I have trained this long and hard to get to where I am, I can keep grinding until an opportunity arises. I needed to stay ready.
I decided to get in touch with my close friend in Germany who is playing professional basketball for the Dragons Rhordorf. I discovered that they were still playing and contacted them to see if there would be an opportunity to travel to Germany to play, and, to my surprise, there was! I planned to be there for three months, leaving in November. However, with Covid restrictions and extended lockdown, I decided it would be best to go in January of the new year. Playing professional basketball at 18 years old was an option I had never thought possible, and if Covid hadn’t happened, it never would have.
What I’ve realized through this process is that there is no straight path that leads you to your goal. It’s a long road that winds, and sometimes there are difficult hills you have to climb, and unexpected obstacles you have to overcome. It’s important to keep moving forward, even with small steps, always keeping your goal in mind. If you are resilient and look for solutions instead of excuses then eventually, through the process, you will become successful.
Kaden Reid, Basketball Player
Any individuals in sports and fitness who would like to share their voice, please submit to hank@hankfittraining.com