At first, I thought I knew exactly which year of basketball and team I would talk about. The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized that the most important year for me and my character development has been this year. Yes, my team last year was definitely better with older players with high basketball IQ's, along with everyone knowing their roles and taking us to Spring Valley's first boys basketball tournament win at the West Virginia High School State Championships. That year was mentally easy; this year, I took the role of the only 4-year senior who had any varsity experience at the highest level of competition in WV. This year taught me what it means to be mentally tough and a true leader who knows how to overcome adversity. There are many ways to be a good teammate. Being a good teammate isn't just about how well you play or perform in your sport; it's about how you affect the teammates that surround you. A good teammate is reliable and unselfish, always there for his teammate, sharing both adversity and joy. I had that last year from the older guys always encouraging me, but this year was very different from last year for me. Last year, I was on a team with 5 other seniors who had 4 years of high school experience, along with some who had 3-4 years of varsity experience. Being the only junior starter took a lot of pressure and responsibility off my shoulders. This year, I was now the role model whom everyone else looked up to. All the pressure was on me, especially since this year's team starting consisted of 2 freshmen, 2 juniors who had just transferred, a senior who hadn't played since his freshman year, and me. I had no choice but to be the best teammate and leader I could be. I am personally not a loud or outgoing person, but I had to be good with communication and helping my teammates so that we as a team could succeed. My faith is a huge part of my life; I am a Christian, and that team is the most important I will ever be a part of. My faith this year has no question been tested on and off the court. I struggled mentally this year, and at some points was lost in myself. God was there for me whenever I needed him. This year in basketball, I struggled with how hard this year was consistently going to be on me. Nothing in the terms of basketball came easy or was handed to me at all. Outside of basketball, there are many temptations that a senior in high school has to face head-on. I held fast to my morals and beliefs, and this helped me get past all of the hard times and temptations.