#34

Say heyyy to blogger #2! Or should I say... #34, according to her jersey. As an athlete AND fashionista, I can really relate to Linda of Trendy Teal. We're both teenagers with not only a passion for fashion but also a love of the game. And while I'll probably never succeed in looking even slightly presentable in my baggy, man-sized goalkeeper wear, Linda was brave enough to don her old basketball jersey and look fashionable doing it! It's all in the accessories, as I always say :)

Linda is one of my favorite bloggers because not only is she fashionable, her posts say something meaningful. She posts what she really feels and I can really relate to her! Plus, she just has such a great outlook on life that it's hard not to smile when you read her upbeat & uplifting blog.

 Hey Wear Abouts readers! My name's Linda, and I'm the blogger behind Trendy Teal. Rory was kind enough to ask me to guest post for her while she's away at soccer camp. Hearing about that made me think of my own sport's experience and...well, as you can see, I kind of got into the athletic theme here.

    This was my basketball warm up and I got to keep it since it has my name and number on it. It gives me football player shoulders, but I love it so much. It represents a lot of struggles and triumphs!

    I'm not sure how many of you play sports, but I was lucky enough to join my school's team when I started there my sophomore year. It was quite the experience. I had never played an organized sport before, but I happen to have a streak of athletic ability, which really helped! I quickly picked up volleyball that fall. However, during the winter we transitioned to basketball. I was pressured into joining the team by a couple of friends I'd made who were really into it. It's not the more popular sport because practices and games are so much more intense and difficult. 

    But I tried it that year and spent most of the games being a bench warmer. Junior year came around and I felt obligated to play again. I didn't even like it that much, but I felt as if I was expected to continue on, so I did. I got more experience playing in games that year, but before each game I would always feel terror at the thought of being subbed in. It was awful! Senior year arrived, and I contemplated sitting down with my coach to tell her I didn't enjoy basketball and wanted to quit.

    But I couldn't do it. She'd invested so much time and coaching into me, and I hated the thought of quitting - much less my Senior year! So I showed up to the non-required pre-season practices and everything. I worked hard--and it was then that something clicked inside me. I was understanding the game much better than I had the past two years and started to take pleasure in the rush of overcoming an opponent. Nothing beats the exhilaration that comes with beating your defense and scoring. 

    I spent a lot more time on the court that year, and it was the best experience I've ever had. Basketball taught me invaluable lessons that cannot be learned in classrooms or conveyed through words.Things such as teamwork, determination, playing through your frustration, and focusing outside of yourself are just a few of the life lessons I learned. 

    Have any of you experienced something like this? 

See what I mean? She can find the good in any situation :) Thanks so much for posting, Linda! Don't forget to check out TRENDY TEAL. Tweet