I Won Thousands at 13 Years Old

Happy March Madness! I’m taking you on a trip down memory lane today because it is my favorite time of year, and the one time of the year where I get to brag about my second coolest accomplishment to date (1st coolest being the time I rapped on stage with B.o.B, I’ll save that story for another time).

In 2012 when I was thirteen years old, my mom and her boyfriend were filling out PAPER March Madness brackets. I had never really been that excited about the NCAA tournament up to that point but I did LOVE basketball. In Junior High I was the scorekeeper for both the Boys and Girls basketball teams, I kept stats, filled out the official scorebook, and ran the scoreboard/shot clock. I took it very seriously, so seriously that I still have PTSD from the time Rivera Middle School lost to Tenaya Middle School in OT due to a Technical Offensive Foul that I still firmly believe was the incorrect call. It haunts me. All that to say is when I was 13 years old I filled out a March Madness bracket, I picked teams on a piece of paper and gave my mom $20 from my piggy bank. That bracket went on to change my life (and my family’s).

I did not have a perfect bracket but what I did have was a super lucky set of game winners picked, including a perfect Final Four. I anxiously watched every game when I got home from school and my mom updated me on my standings in the online tournament. By the end of the month I was sitting on my living room floor watching the NCAA Championship game, UK (Kentucky) vs. UK (Kansas). I had Kansas in the finals because my 7th grade math teacher went to school there, but I knew in my heart of hearts that Kentucky was going to take it all that year. If Kentucky won, I won, and win they did. Five thousand whole dollars.

I was over the moon. I felt so fucking cool. I will never forget that feeling.

Now looking back I can’t say I saw much of that money, I think my mom took me shopping. My mom used the rest of it to pay off her car loan, maybe my brother’s too. I was a little peeved at her at the time, but then a month later the unthinkable happened. My mom was taken into an emergency surgery and we began our 7 year journey of her having cancer. Using my prize money to pay off some of our debts saved our life back then. I wrote about this whole experience in multiple college admissions essays.

I have filled out a March Madness bracket for the last 12 consecutive years and I have not come close to winning anything since. First round of games were played this morning and I am already #busted. The fact that I always lose does not stop me from participating in my favorite sports activity, but I imagine my bragging rights from middle school lose their power more and more each year. I don’t mind losing as long as I stay in the game. I’ll probably never win again, but who cares. I certainly don’t.

Here’s my crappy bracket, please share yours! As always, ily. Hope you enjoyed this week’s light read. & Go Bruins.