There are two places where I’ve always felt at home: on the basketball court and at the library. As a kid, I spent countless hours shooting hoops at the park, at school, and in front of my childhood home in San Jose, California. My parents regularly took me and my sister to the library, surrounding us with an abundance of books to read.
To this day, the only feeling that can match the joy I experience walking onto a court with a ball in my hands is the one I get walking into a library or a bookstore.
The first time I joined a youth basketball league, I was terrified. I remember standing in line to do defensive slides and feeling so embarrassed, unsure if I’d be able to move my body properly. I never particularly enjoyed English in school because I hated the idea of someone reading my writing. Figuring out how to get past these fears allowed me to discover so much more about myself and the world around me.
Basketball, like literature, introduces us to people who we may have not otherwise encountered. Each time we run up and down a court or flip through the pages of a book, an exchange happens. We expand our understanding of ourselves—and each other—ever so slightly.
My love for basketball and books have taken me places that I could never imagine. I often sit in disbelief of the life I’ve been afforded through my career in professional sports. I feel very fortunate to have followed my passion and intuition this far in my journey. Open Practice is the next step continuing on that path.
The name “Open Practice” is inspired by the open gym sessions I went to as a kid where everyone was welcome to come play and work on their game. The concept is inspired by the community I’ve found over and over again on the hardwood and within the words in the books I’ve read and conversations I’ve had with my dearest friends.
Open Practice is a place for hoopers and book worms of all ages to meet new people, discover your next read, and find some inspiration. I hope you’ll join us.
Sincerely,
Melissa Yang
Founder of Open Practice