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Friendly Letter

by Quincy Marks

August 25, 2009

Dear Teacher,

One of my favorite things to do, no matter what time of the year it is, is playing basketball. It’s

really special when I get a chance to see both of my favorite NBA players battle it out against each other.

A few years ago I went to an L.A. Lakers basketball game when they played the Cleveland Caviliers.

When the game reached half-time and everyone was either watching the half time show or going to get

food, I was on the court trying to get a handshake or even a slap on the hand from one of my favorite

players, Lebron James or Kobe Bryant. As I was waiting there and the half-time show was almost over,

both Kobe and Lebron came out and talked to me and gave me a handshake. I was in complete shock,

but what happened next was nothing I expected. As they were going back to the court, they asked me if I

would like to come out on the court with them to shoot a round. At that moment my mouth dropped and

my heart stopped. I was so excited and nervous that I missed all my shots except one.

Even though I haven’t been to another L.A. Lakers game, I got the chance to play basketball for

the U.S.A. this summer for the Youth Olympics in Holland. When the other athletes and I arrived in

Holland, the first thing on our list was to go find our team and start practicing. In the short amount of time

we had there, it was very critical for us to get to know each other fast. We were to start the Olympic

games in a few days, and we needed to be a team that looked like we had played with each other

before. As soon as the games started, I met a lot of interesting people from around the world who loved

playing basketball as much as I do. While there, I got to view a different part of the world that I had never

seen before. Holland is truly a beautiful place to visit.

As much as I love playing basketball and getting out of Stockton, my focus now is on school.

Speaking of school, my plan is to transfer to a four-year school. I have a lot of decisions to make as to

where I want to go when I am finished at Delta. My top choice is San Jose State. I love everything about

the school, and on the plus side, it’s not that far away from home. One of my bad habits when it comes to

school is making little mistakes that can end up hurting me in the long run, but I am working on that. One

of my favorite things about school is my English class. I don’t know what it is, but when I have to make

up a story for class, I take it as a challenge to come up with a good story that my teacher will like. Well

Teacher, I look forward to your class this semester.

From your student,

Quincy Marks The Final Draft — 2011/2012

A Personal Response to “Friendly Letter”

by Jena Blasingame

Dear Quincy Marks,

In “Friendly Letter,” you describe the experiences you had when you attended a L.A. Lakers vs.

Cleveland Cavaliers game. You also said that sometimes in school you make small mistakes that can

hurt you in the long run. When I was reading this I felt excited, interested, and disappointed at the same

time.

I was excited to read that you went and saw your two favorite teams. The Cleveland Cavaliers are

my favorite team as well. When I read you got to meet Lebron James, I was excited for you. I would love

to have the opportunity to shoot around with Lebron James and get a few pointers from him about the

game. He is a very talented and knowledgeable individual that could help a player become successful. If

I had the chance to do what you did, I would have enjoyed it very much.

Secondly, I was very interested to hear that you got a chance to play basketball for the U.S.A.

Youth Olympics team for a summer in Holland. It must have been really fun meeting new players,

people, and being able to play around the world. If I ever got the chance to do this, I would because the

experiences would be lifechanging. You never know when you are going to meet a life-long friend. I have

been playing basketball for a long time, and I personally have met life-long friends.

Lastly, I felt disappointed to hear you make small mistakes in school that hurt you in the long run.

First hand you should know that small things matter just as much as the big things since you are a

basketball player. Basketball has taught me that hard work and putting in the extra effort, even for the

small things, make a big difference whether it is in a basketball game or in the classroom. I hope you

change your bad habits soon, so they won’t catch up to you and hurt you in the end.

I know from personal experience that basketball is not just a sport or game, but it is a life lesson

that stays with you for life. So if you work hard out on the court to win games and put that same effort in

the classroom and in life, you will see that the end results are monumental and you will be where you

want in life.

Sincerely,

Jena Blasingame

Jena wrote this personal response while enrolled in English 70 in the Spring 2011 semester.