Dream Big

Lucy 

5.20.13

How did Junior make the basketball team? In what ways was this related to his conversation with his dad earlier?

When Junior first showed up to basketball tryouts, he was intimidated by all of the bigger white guys. He thought he was, “C-squad material, for sure. (p.131)” Despite this, Junior tried his hardest in the tryouts. He didn’t quit no matter what happened, and this impressed the coach greatly. Junior was immediately put on varsity; the coach didn’t even consider putting him on the C-squad.

Earlier, before the tryouts, Junior’s dad told him the story of how he met his wife. Junior’s dad was only five years old when he met his future wife, who was thirteen at the time. Junior asks about the significance of this story to his upcoming tryouts. His dad explains to him, “You have to dream big to get big. (p.129)” Junior thought he couldn’t ever make the varsity team, similar to how his father never could have imagined he would have married the thirteen year old girl. Junior tries his hardest and makes the varsity team, like his dad dreams big, and marries the thirteen year old girl.