When I was in my first year of high-school I tried out for my school's basketball team.  Although I was very successful in other sports, particularly soccer and baseball, I was only a mediocre basketball player. I remember walking into the gymnasium and feeling shocked when I saw how many people were also trying out. I knew I was a good athlete, but I didn't know if my skill would be as good as the other participants. Try-outs lasted for four long days. At the end of each day, the basketball coach had a short discussion with each player. He told some of the players to come back for the next day, and told other players that they had not made the team. This is called getting cut. All of us were afraid of getting cut at the end of each practice. On the fourth day of try-outs there were only twenty kids left. I was one of them, but we all knew only eighteen students would make the team. This day was the most intense day of them all. There were many opportunities to impress the coach but there were so few people that the pressure was very high. I was not one of the best players on the team, so I was especially worried on this last day. At the end of practice the coach told every player to take one shot from the same spot. Many kids missed their shot but mine went in the basket. After practice we waited as the coach talked to each player. When my turn finally came my heart skipped a beat when I walked towards the coach. My head was spinning when the coach started speaking and I was almost shaking because I was anxious. The coach told me that I had done very well and that he was impressed. However, the team only eighteen spots and unfortunately none of these would be mine. What does "getting cut" mean?
When the coach tells you that you cannot join the team. When scissors hurt you and make you bleed. When you join the basketball team. When the coach criticizes you.