About Me: My Basketball Journey

Hi, my name is Raul del Rosario, I'm a passionate basketball player who has the aspiration of many goals. I’m on a mission of achieving one of them — dunking a basketball. 

How Basketball Became My Passion

For me, sports have always been very important in my life. Growing up, I used to play football. I was obsessed with it. Every day, since I was only 4 years old that's what I only cared about. But things changed fast when I started having constant knee pain when practising football, and after seeing a doctor, I was told I had to stop playing football or risk serious injury. It was tough,  at that moment, football was everything to me, and suddenly it was gone. 

Then Covid-19 appeared and absolutely every sport was cancelled for some months and out of nowhere basketball came to my life. It was actually because my best friend after those months discovered basketball and usually brought his basketball to school. We used to shoot around every single day. Then, we got better and started playing 1v1s. That’s when I found I was talented at it.  That whole summer I remember I spent it practicing basketball with him. We then joined a team. Each of us signed up for a different one. We lived quite far from each other, that's why. Little by little I started to improve a lot and continuously set new goals, and found myself falling in love with sports all over again. This time it felt different. 

For me, basketball is more than just a hobby; it’s a lifestyle I’m passionate about.

The Dunking Project

Although being only 15 years old, at 1.80 meters (5'11"), I’m not the tallest player on the court, and when it takes to finish next to the rim, I suffer a lot against stronger and taller players. That is why this project will not only focus on improving my vertical jump to be able to dunk but in general it will help me become more athletic and stronger in various areas. 

Also in basketball jumping can be key for other aspects rather than just dunking. For example:

• Finish stronger and higher at the rim
• Grab more rebounds
• Block shots more effectively
• Shoot the ball higher and avoid getting blocked.
• Steal passes

This project is at the same time my opportunity to push myself both physically and mentally. With it, I will show that with the right plan, effort, and consistency, I can achieve this goal. 

Why I’m Sharing My Journey

When I created this website my goal was not only to track my own progress but also to inspire others with my story and help others sharing my experience. 

Through this journey, I’ll share:

• My training program for building strength and explosivenes.
• A nutrition plan designed to fuel my body for peak performance
• Personal progress evidence, with videos and photos showing it.
• My personal basketball highlights, that will show how improving my athleticism elevated my game inside the court.