‘Push Comes to Shove’ (Garrett Ellwood - NBAE/Getty Images)

By: Brooke Mueller (14 years old)

Just recently I was asked which I love better…Volleyball or basketball..? I play on competitive teams for both so this was an extremely hard decision. I never thought of having to PICK between my two favorite sports! I just shrugged the question, until it came back to me that night while I was at basketball practice.

I have a friend on my team who is in her first year of playing basketball. She has been really nervous about playing with girls who have played since they were little and she doesn’t quite understand how the game works. At the end of practice we played a little scrimmage game. After the game I was talking to this girl when she mentioned how mad she was while she was playing. I didn’t exactly think of it as “mad” but aggressive. On the way home from practice the question popped back into my head.. which sport do I love better? Right then and there, I knew exactly what the answer was.. BASKETBALL! And what better reason to pick it then the word.. aggressive

Now, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE volleyball! The only thing that puts basketball ahead of volleyball is the contact of the sport. The thrill of “fighting” against someone. My family loves to play basketball, especially my dad, and he is one of the most aggressive people I know (when playing basketball). He has always taught me to play aggressive, but not to be a jerk about it. Don’t pound people to the ground because they scored over you, etc. And that has helped me a lot in my games because I have gotten into a couple little mouthy fights on the court, but nothing big.

That’s one thing I admire about the Jazz. USUALLY, when something happens like a little fight, they can just get over it and are “friends” again. Maybe not exactly friends, seeing as they are on opposing teams, but there seems to be respect. They will still play aggressive and hard! I love the JAZZ and let’s hope they can get some more WINS!!!