European Basketball

I've realized something startling this week.  For some reason, overseas basketball just keeps getting more and more desirable.

Although my dream of the NBA still burns, a career in Europe sounds almost as great.

I like the fame and money that comes with the NBA, but sometimes I feel as if that will pull the focus away from the game, the ultimate love, the ultimate goal.  

Basketball in Europe isn't about the ooh's and the ahh's.  It's about team-work, and playing smart.  In stark contrast, the NBA is entertainment.  It's geared for the audience, so the more ankle-breakers, buzzer-beaters, and windmill dunks they have, the better.

So is my top goal still the NBA?

Yes, and it will most likely stay that way.

The problem is, everyone around me seems to want me to achieve other things instead of my number one goal.

Perfect PSAT and SAT scores, 5.0 GPA,  a clean room 24/7, a business or law degree in college, a IB diploma, the list could go on and on.

While I don't have an objection with that, I know I'm going to have a problem balancing all those with school, basketball, family, friends, and God.

Therefore, I've decided to sacrifice some things for the last six weeks of school.  I've recently deleted most of my social media on my phone, and I am cutting down on my sleep(Oh crap).  I'm going to follow a rigid schedule so I can get all my training done while still allotting time to study for my final exams.


For all of you who read my earlier blogs, you may remember my "diet".  Next week will be the last 7 days of my regimen, so I will post my results and my new goals next Saturday.

(Kale, spinach, raw egg, banana, milk, OJ smoothie)

Aaron Chan    

Family

Hey everyone,
Im sorry I forgot to post yesterday.

I spent a lot of time with my siblings and went to bed at 3:00 AM.

Yes, I did have homework and training I needed to get done, but I prioritize my family before all those.  So today, I'm cramming all my studying and training that I skipped from yesterday.  

This week as a whole was very monotonous.   Nothing really happened or changed, except that I was able to complete the training I hadn't been able to do before. 

I've been able to get up earlier before school and follow through on my daily schedules.

I might start playing for another basketball team in order to get more game experience. There are some things that can only be learned in game situations.  Not by training, not by film, and not by pickup.

I've also been eating better and doing recovery exercises more, and as a result I've been feeling much healthier and stronger.

So for this upcoming week, it's my goal to execute everything faster and better.  

Thanks for reading my 10th update, I hope to see you next week!

Aaron Chan

AAU 2.0

This weekend was one of the worst I've had in a while.  A lot of things have been going wrong, especially basketball and my grades.  My PSA team lost by a couple of points on Friday,  and I played almost 5 minutes total.
Things like that frustrate me.  I hate losing.  I hate sitting on the bench.  And most of all, I hate losing while sitting on the bench.

When I got home that night, I felt as if I was reliving last year's AAU season.

As one of the few freshman on my AAU team, I played a maximum of 5 minutes per game, and I clearly remember that one tournament where I played a stunning total of 0 minutes.   0.

So on Friday night, I felt the pain of losing but most of all, I felt the pain and anger from the fear and slow realization that my whole year of training was all for waste.

It was as if I could see AAU season 2.0 looming just over the edge of the horizon.  The incoming doom and helplessness I felt was an emotion I haven't felt in over a year.

It was especially disappointing due to the fact that I was one of the top scorers in every game I've played in for the past year.  Even in our PSA opening night, I had at least 10 points, and played at least half of the game, helping my team to a 62-24 win.

However, I've learned some very important lessons this weekend.

I learned a lot of my mistakes I've been making in games, and I set up a new schedule to fix those weaknesses this month.   I also learned that everything rests in God's hands, and I should put my trust in him for everything I do.

So this month I will be following a new strength and skill training schedule,  and I'll be spending more time with God.

Thanks for reading my update, please come back next week for more!

Aaron Chan

"Some people want sleep more than they want to succeed!"

I don't know why getting up is the hardest part of my day.

I've been struggling with this problem for years.  I set my alarm for 7:00, but only manage to get up at 7:45, 20 minutes before my school bus arrives.

I don't get time to eat a healthy breakfast, and I sometimes forget important things, like my homework.

This always leads to a horrible day, and I come home tired and despondent.  I go to sleep late, and the cycle starts all over again.

If I can't learn to get up on time, my career as a basketball player is over.  There's no way I'll ever be allowed to "sleep in", as most coaches want you in the gym at 5 AM. No, not wake up at 5, but GET there at 5.  That means wake up at least an hour earlier to shower, eat, and commute.

So this month it's my goal to get up at 7 AM so I can read the Bible, eat, watch some game film, and still have lots of extra time to get ready for school.

Also, this month is the last month of my diet!  I've seen notable muscle growth in both my upper and lower body.  I touched rim for the first time a couple weeks ago, so it is now my monthly goal to grab the rim.  I can dunk on a 9.5 ft hoop, so if I gain a couple more inches I will probably be able to dunk on a 10 ft.

Yesterday I played my first PSA game, and we beat the other team 62 - 24!

I really like my team, we have some great players who could really make some noise this year.  They play solid defense and their offense is decent.   It's been a while since I've played on a team that can sub and still be able to execute the right defense and run the right plays.

Thanks for reading this update, although it's a day late(sorry!).  Oh, and Happy Easter, I hope to see you next week!

Aaron Chan https://youtu.be/ASIT7U463Q0