Life of Softball and Basketball (By: Mariah Young)

   Softball and basketball are my favorite sports to play (if you don’t count horseback riding as a sport). I have many experiences in softball and basketball, good and bad. An imperfect experience that I will always remember in softball and basketball are hurting my fingers. I have fractured five fingers during basketball and have jammed my fingers multiple times in softball catching the ball bare handed. I just assume that either softball and basketball don’t like my fingers, or my fingers don’t like them.
However, I am not here to tell you about all my experiences with these, sports and what I like and don’t like about them. I am here to tell you about the similarities and differences.
    Softball and basketball are two different sports with many similarities. The obvious similarity is they are both sports. That isn’t the only similarity. They also involve balls, there a team sport, there are girls and mens teams, there is running, and the team with the highest score wins. Also there are national sports teams for both sports. These teams are NSA (National Softball Association) and the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association). In both sports there is extended arm action. This is a key part of both sports. In softball you use extended arm action when you straighten your arm when throwing the ball, and you would use this action in basketball when you are shooting the basketball to shoot. I also have similarities in my opinion. Those similarities are their fun and their the only sports that I play other than horseback riding. You know see that there are many similarities but there are even more of them if you wanted to get into the little details, but it would take forever to list them.
     Know let’s have a conversation on softball and basketball and their differences. Softball uses a smaller ball as basketball uses a larger ball. The ball you use in softball is either a twelve inch softball or eleven inch softball (mostly twelve though). The ball in basketball is 28.5 inches (girls). In softball to play you need to have at least nine players to play a game on each team if not more. As in basketball you need at least five players on each team if not more. To score in softball you need to make it all around the bases and back to home plate and they are called runs. In basketball you need to shot the basketball up in the hoop and the ball needs to go through the basketball to make a score and they are called baskets. The most two most obvious differences between the two sports are were you play and what you wear. In softball you play outdoors on a dirt field and wear softball pants, a t-shirt or tank top, long socks, a visor, and cleats. You play basketball inside on a court in a gym. You wear shorts, b-ball socks, a tank top, and sneakers (preferably b-ball sneakers).
    As a result more kids should get involved in more sports and after school activities. When kids get involved in sports they need to keep their grades up in school and need to keep them at a seventy and above average. Being in sports also helps them stay out of trouble and be more active instead of sitting at home like a couch potato. Sports will also help some kids get scholarships to colleges so they don’t have to pay their full way in or don’t have to pay at all. If more kids get involved with sports their won’t be so many gangs and other thing similar to gangs. Then the streets will be safer and it will be a happier world. I just want to point out that softball and basketball with always be a part of school sports if more kids want to play them. Softball and basketball are sports that will get kids active and off the streets. Let’s make U.S.A a better and safer country for kids to grow up in. Get off the streets and get active.