I guess I should tell you all (ha, ha, like anybody really gives a damn) why I use the name GymAlien.
It's a three edged blade as it were.
First: As a little squirt I used to go to a Park in Long Beach California called Scherer Park. I was mostly a latchkey kid. Mom and dad got divorced before I turned 2. But unlike many, I lived with my dad and not mom. I saw my mom on holiday's from age 2 till age 5; then no more (sad, huh).
Dad was Always at work during the day, leaving at about 6 am and Always at home at around 5:30 to 7:30 pm. He was a Longshoreman, his dad was a longshoreman, and I eventually became a longshoreman too; but the point was that for several years I was at the park almost every day playing ping pong, pool and whatever organized sports I could.
I played Flag Football, Volleyball, and Basketball. I sucked at basketball!
I did have to check in with a grandma in the neighborhood after school, so it wasn't really criminal (I didn't have a bad dad; just an emotionally crippling one). Back to the park, I remember one of the early days when I first started going to the park/babysitter at around age 8 or 9, before all the team sports. I would often play on the swing set and kid things they had there in the sand (they even had gymnastic rings -you know the Iron Cross and spinning stuff the Olympic guys do).
I met a little girl one day and she would follow me around; I think she was maybe 6 to my 8 or 7 to my 9 years old. She was fun to play with if a bit hard to shake. I remember pushing her on the swings higher and higher as boys would like it, but girls cry foul.
Anyway to the point... One day she asked my name and I spelled it out in the sand: Jim Allen. She said, "Really?". "Yeah", I said. And she persisted, "Really?". I couldn't understand why she said it that way until she asked, "Are you really an Alien?"
Don't ask me why but I played along and said, "sure...Yeah, I am.". I could hardly believe she really meant it.? And for maybe six months she would play with me at the park and I never let on that I wasn't really an Alien. I even think of her as my first girlfriend (sort of).
So, that is reason one; and here is the Second: Jim Allen - Gym Allen - Gym Alien. Do I really need to say anything more?
Third: I hate the term "Gym Rat" so I came up with Gym Alien to describe my life in the Basketball Gymnasium. I was there most of my free time; nearly every day, for hours. And if not in a Gym, then on the outside courts, in the park, or school, or at a friends house on the 'over the garage door' hoop. It was the one sport where I had very little success. And I wanted to understand why other kids could play Basketball well, but not me! Then I could fix that problem/weakness. I was pretty stubborn.
The worst part was watching other kids my age make shots (especially Free Throws) but I threw up brick after brick. It frustrated me to no end, for years and years. Many would say my form was beautiful in junior high and high school. but I still couldn't count on my shot going in. Nor could I tell you why it wouldn't and didn't go in.
I was by far the best athlete on the team when I got to high school. but still, could have been called "clank" if it weren't for the fact coach called me TO. OOOOh, how I hated that. He'd come from playing college ball straight to coaching our basketball team. And he just couldn't understand why I couldn't perform the fundamentals of basketball. I had never been taught the fundamentals! That's why.
I ran circles around the other players; could out jump, out run, and out hustle All of them. But I didn't really know How To Play. Dribbling was a big problem for me, at 5'9" that didn't bode well for my playing time at guard. So, for him (coach) I was just a turnover machine with great hustle. Apparently, he felt he couldn't afford to put me in the game as a starter or at the end of a game. It soon became a self-fulfilling prophecy. As I'd often instantly make a turnover when he put me in. Yet I was The Sixth Man.
After my dad took me off the team as a junior because of a 'D' in history, I didn't even go out for the basketball team as a senior; choosing Track and Field instead. And becoming MVP with all the School Records in Jumping when I left. One coach who was also with the football team said I was probably the best athlete in the schools' history. But I still couldn't shoot worth a darn. Actually, I could shoot great with a gun; just not with a basketball...lol
But, that was just the start. I still had the 'Jones'. I shot for hours by myself, day after day. Year after year, until I joined the Air Force. Then things took a change. I started playing pick up ball with good players on a regular basis. I was either in class learning how to fix computers or in the Gym.
I got better by leaps and bounds. No pun intended, but I got better at jumping too! I could slam with either hand, reverse, and I could throw it up on the backboard and dunk. I could dunk with my heel on the Free Throw line too. I was 21 and becoming a Man. On the court anyway. I got to the point where I wanted the contact from a defensive player during my shot. I used to be really strict about fouls, but now you could bump me on the way up and it just made me even more accurate. The nice form I had, turned into an unstoppable shot.
Unstoppable by someone else that is. I could still stop myself. I was far from perfect.(like my grammar and spelling, lol) But, Unlike this one guy I knew... Seriously, this guy did not miss a jump shot. I mean Never! It was unnatural how well this guy shot. Always the same; Always went in. And, I am not exaggerating at all. If his team knew to pass him the ball, they would not lose. I swear to you, this guy did not miss EVER. Until I got good enough defensively to block his shot that is.
I had gotten pretty good with my shot. But, until I could block his shot I was not going to win, over this guy. I loved the struggle. The Challenge drives me if you couldn't already tell. For several months I would spend around 4 hours a day in the gym. First I would be there alone shooting around by myself. Then this guy would come in and we'd play one on one. Then the bigger guys and others would come and we'd play half court then full. 'Till the time came to go back to the dorm and sleep.
Basketball was my joy, my release, fun and love all rolled into one. Yes, I Love Basketball. The Gym was the one place where I felt at Home. Yet I still had much to learn in the way of Shooting a basketball. I'll go into that further later on. I think I've rambled on enough for this post.
So, there you have it, I Am GymAlien
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