His parents finally let him hit the courts again. The summer AAU season was coming up. Dunking became a habit. Measurements read 72 inches and still growing. Everything was looking up for Ralph Laurent and he was excited, maybe a little too excited. It was the left hip that became overworked. He didn’t realize at first, but things wouldn’t be the same.

  His road started ever since he was a little kid. Born on September 20, sports was a love at first sight for Ralph. Playing a sport ran in the family, literally. His mom used to do track when she was younger. This gene was being passed on to Ralph and he knew that. Thus, he started playing sports when he was five years old, specifically baseball and basketball. After playing both simultaneously, it took some time for him to realize that basketball was truly where his heart laid. 

  It didn’t take long for Ralph to fall in love with the game. The feeling of dribbling the ball in his hands and shooting it was like no other. That being said, he pursued the sport, improving each day while growing at the same time. 

  He did what he had to do in the classroom, in order to have more time on the court. Ralph finished his assignments on time, allowing for more practice time. By the seventh grade, he was ready to play travel basketball. Moreover, he made the Pines Charter middle school team for that year and the next. 

  To Ralph, it was the mindset that was the most important. “Ideally, I think having the right mindset is a game-changer,” he said,”Personally, I think it is to be the best athlete possible.” It was this mindset that helped him make the JV basketball team for Charter as a freshman. Well, that and the fact that he had just surpassed 6 foot. 

  Ralph made the most of his experience and was able to learn more about the game through his upperclassmen on the varsity team. With his growing knowledge and rapidly-improving skill, he knew he’d be ready for the next season,

  Especially with the quarantine lockdown, Ralph had more free time to get better. As mentioned before, he worked a little too hard, injuring his left hip. Currently, he is still recovering and resting in order to return fully healthy. “I think I should be back and ready to go in two weeks,” Ralph stated, discussing his comeback to the court,”It really sucks because I miss being out there.” 

  As for the future, Ralph really only has one set goal in mind, it being the same for academics and in athletics. With the junior season coming soon, he understands that there is still a lot of work he needs to put in. With that being said, his only goal is “to reach my full potential, no matter where it takes me,” he said,”As long as I used up everything I have, I know I made it.” 

  The future is definitely bright for Ralph, and to stay ahead of the game, he knows he’s gotta leave it all behind.