Darius woke up at 5:47 AM. The Hustle System activated and displayed a blue interface in his room. The display showed his daily exercise routine.
DAILY ROUTINE:
Push-ups: 50 repetitions Sit-ups: 60 repetitions Bodyweight squats: 50 repetitions Plank hold: 3 sets of 60 seconds each Wall sits: 2 sets of 90 seconds each Burpees: 30 repetitions
Darius looked at the list. He remained in bed for three additional minutes.
"Can I skip today?" he asked the system.
"Skipping violates recovery protocol. You agreed to this program," the system responded.
Darius got out of bed. He put on athletic clothing and went outside. The temperature was 52 degrees Fahrenheit. He began jogging at a pace of approximately 7 minutes per mile.
He jogged for 2.3 miles through his neighborhood. His average heart rate was 145 beats per minute. He returned home after 23 minutes of running.
In his backyard, Darius completed the assigned exercises. He performed push-ups in sets of 10 repetitions. His form was adequate. He completed sit-ups in sets of 15 repetitions. His abdominal muscles contracted properly.
Darius finished all exercises in 34 minutes. His resting heart rate was 78 beats per minute when he completed the workout.
His uncle entered the backyard during the final set of exercises.
"What are you doing?" his uncle asked.
"Training exercises," Darius replied.
"For what sport?"
"Basketball."
His uncle left the backyard. Darius continued exercising.
At 7:15 AM, Darius entered the kitchen. His family was eating breakfast. His grandmother was cooking eggs on the stove. His siblings were seated at the table eating cereal. His mother was pouring orange juice into glasses. His father was reading news on his phone.
Darius sat at the table. His grandmother gave him a plate containing two eggs, two pieces of toast, and three strips of bacon.
"You were exercising early this morning," his grandmother said.
"Yes," Darius replied.
Malik, his cousin, was also at the table. "Do you want to practice basketball today?" Malik asked.
"Yes," Darius said.
His mother looked at him. "We should discuss school enrollment. The fall semester starts in five weeks."
His father continued reading his phone. "He should wait until spring semester. He needs more recovery time."
"He is fourteen years old. He should return to school," his mother said.
"Homeschooling might be better for this year," his uncle suggested.
Malik raised his hand. "I also want homeschooling."
Darius's younger siblings also requested homeschooling. They laughed while making this request.
After breakfast, Malik and Darius walked to a basketball court six blocks from their house. The court was located behind a row of residential houses. The court surface was asphalt. Several cracks were visible in the playing surface. The basketball hoops were regulation height at 10 feet. Two of the four nets were missing. The court boundary lines were faded but still visible.
A shopping cart was positioned near one corner of the court. It contained empty bottles and old shoes.
Darius stood at the free-throw line. The Hustle System activated and displayed basketball training instructions.
BASKETBALL DRILLS INITIATED:
Stationary ball handling: 5 minutes Cone dribble drill: 3 sets of 60 seconds each Form shooting (close range): 100 shots Passing drill (wall target): 100 repetitions
Malik gave Darius a basketball. Darius began dribbling with his right hand. He dribbled for 30 seconds, then switched to his left hand for 30 seconds. He continued alternating hands for 5 minutes total.
Next, Darius performed cone dribbling drills. Malik had placed four traffic cones in a straight line, each cone separated by 5 feet. Darius dribbled through the cones using his right hand, then returned using his left hand. He completed this drill for 60 seconds. After a 30-second rest, he repeated the drill two more times.
For shooting practice, Darius positioned himself 8 feet from the basket. He shot the basketball using proper form: feet shoulder-width apart, shooting hand behind the ball, guide hand on the side, follow-through with wrist snap.
His first 10 shots: 4 made, 6 missed. His next 10 shots: 6 made, 4 missed. He continued shooting in groups of 10.
After 100 total shots from 8 feet, Darius had made 64 shots. His shooting percentage was 64 percent.
For passing drills, Darius stood 10 feet from a brick wall. He threw chest passes at a target area painted on the wall. The target was a square measuring 2 feet by 2 feet. He completed 100 passes. 73 passes hit the target area.
The training session lasted 47 minutes. Darius's heart rate averaged 118 beats per minute during basketball activities.
Malik watched the entire session while leaning against the court fence.
"You have never been good at sports," Malik said.
"I will improve before high school starts," Darius replied.
"That seems unlikely," Malik said.
The Hustle System recorded Darius's performance data:
Ball handling: Adequate for beginner level Shooting accuracy: 64% from close range Passing accuracy: 73% to wall target Overall assessment: Basic skills present, significant improvement needed
After training, Darius and Malik returned home. Darius showered and ate lunch. In the afternoon, he rested for 2 hours.
That evening, his family discussed school plans during dinner. His parents decided that Darius would be homeschooled for the fall semester. He would return to regular school in January.
"This gives you time to recover fully," his mother said.
"And time to practice basketball if you want to try out for the team later," his father added.
Darius agreed with this plan. Homeschooling would allow him more time for basketball training.
Before going to sleep, Darius reviewed his training performance with the Hustle System.
"Your baseline skills are established," the system said. "Daily training will continue. Skills will improve gradually with consistent practice."
"How long until I can play competitively?" Darius asked.
"Based on current progression rates, you will reach high school JV skill level in approximately 6 months with daily practice."
"What about varsity level?"
"Varsity level requires 12-18 months of training, depending on physical development and skill acquisition rate."
Darius went to sleep at 10:15 PM. He would wake up at 5:47 AM the next day to repeat the training routine.