Why me? Is it because I am short? Is it because I’m Mexican? What’s the reason for all these insults I get? Is it because I ‘m a sixth grader? I joined basketball so I could have fun, but all I get are insults and blames for everything I do. When will I know why I was the target for these insults?
On the first day of school everything seemed fine. Posters everywhere trying to recruit us, many of us looking lost, but I had my friends by my side so I thought everything would be fine. I loved basketball and my friends knew. We saw a poster and they told me I should try out. Why would that be bad? I later saw why.
I was one of the many sixth graders that were there to try out. We all had that scared, shy look in our face and then I remembered what something important. My sister had told me that the worse thing I could do was be shy, so I did the opposite. When they asked for volunteers I would volunteer myself. I was actually doing pretty well and I was really proud of myself. I went home that day super excited and confident, “Mom I think I’m doing great! Everything is going better than I thought.”
She told me, “Keep it up and you would be on the team in no time.”
Today was the last day of tryouts and it was the day to give it all I could. I was trying and trying, but unfortunately I made some mistakes. I would pass the ball wrong or I would take it away from my own team. It was a disaster, but I would just shake it off and do better on the next time. It was the end of practice and they were going to tell us who made the team. Everyone rushed into the locker room to change. I think that was the fastest time I had ever changed. When everyone was out the coach stated,” I have the list of the team here. I am going to post it right here.” As he finished saying this everyone rushed to him like animals that had been freed. I went to the list and looked at the names. I wasn’t seeing it and was getting worried. Then I saw towards the bottom my name. I was so happy that I couldn’t stop smiling. I waited anxiously for my mom to arrive. Then I thought to myself,” Wow I’m actually good.” When my mom arrived I ran to her car and I yelled, “Mom I made the team!”
She saw me running to her and waving my hands. I ran up to her and hugged her and she responded, “I knew you could do it mija. You just needed to believe in yourself.” She said it with such love and passion that she didn’t realize how much her words meant to me.
Our first game had arrived and I was ready. I walked into the huge rectangular gym and it had that sporty smell. I saw the bright colorful scoreboard and was now ready for the game to begin. All I needed to know now is if I was in the starting lineup. He yelled, “Lexi, Samantha, Gabby, Jacky, and Tanya you gals are starting get ready!” It saddened me that I wasn’t one of them, but I tried to not let it get me down and I would think to myself that maybe I would play later. I walked slowly back to my chair.


It was the second quarter and I went in. I was so excited to show the coach I deserved to have started. I was doing well. I was assisting and giving great passes, but we were still down. I was so close to scoring, but my shot got blocked and I missed. I had more opportunities when I was on my own, but I only made one. I felt horrible and we ended up losing the game.
“It’s all your fault. You shouldn’t have played. You suck and don’t deserve to be on the team.” Yelled Gabby in my face
“Yeah. Only a sucky player would miss those shots” said Lexi throwing the ball at me.
“How did she get on the team?” Jacky asked to the rest of the girls.
These were insults that they were shouting at me. I wanted to cry so badly, but I knew I couldn’t give them the satisfaction. My mom saw me with my head down and said,” You did well, it wasn’t your fault.”
Under my breath I muttered, “Not according to them.”
“What was that?” she looked at me with concern
“Nothing mom. Nothing.” I responded and I kept walking with my head down.

I went home that day and I cried. I lay on my bed and covered my face with my big, fluffy pillows. As I covered my face with a pillow my mom came in to check on me and asked me that why was I crying? I told her everything that happened and she said that that wasn’t true. I believed her and tried to go to sleep.

The next day of school was horrible. Everyone would ask what the score was and I would say we lost. Then they would blame it on me. At practice everyone would mutter under their breath how it was my fault we had lost. I decided to ignore them; I wasn’t going to get off the team.

I tried to handle this for weeks, but now it was getting physical. They would push me in the hallways, trip me and at times punch me. I would get a nose bleed now and then, but I always said that I had fallen. During practice they would knock me down or throw the ball in my face. The coach would see, but he thought we were all just playing around. I began to tell my mom and she told me I had to get off the team and I did. But what she didn’t realize is that she had just made things a lot worse for me. They were now calling me a chicken and saying that it was about time I was off the team.

A month later I got really mad and was tired of getting bullied. I knew that I didn’t deserve that, so I wasn’t going to let them bully me anymore. When they came up to me to yell insults I looked them right in the eyes and punched them in the face. As soon as I did they all walked away. When the principal found out I got suspended. It felt so great to do it and I didn’t have any regrets. The principal asked me that why had I done that and I said told them everything that they had done to me. A week later she was off the team. I felt bad and blamed myself for a while until I realized I was wrong, but like always she began to blame me because she was no longer on team. Like always I ignored her.

I went home and told my mom I was done ignoring them that I needed to transfer schools and that’s what she did. I got a fresh start at my other school and was glad. There I realized how much they had changed me. I was now stronger than I was before. I wasn’t going to let anyone bully me anymore.

I now think back and realize how much they really changed my life. I’m glad they bullied me because it made me a stronger person and the person that I am today. Everything I would do was to show them that I was not a loser and could do better things than they would ever do and this got me to my teaching position. I now teach children how bullying can really hurt someone and I share my experiences with them. At first they thought it was not really a problem, but I made them realize that it is. I’m so happy with what I do because I am changing their lives and that’s all I could ever ask for. I don’t want any more kids to get hurt and I won’t let them under my watch.