Basketball has been a part of my life ever since I was five years old. The journey that basketball has taken me on has been amazing. I’ve been able to visit more than 30 states in the US due to basketball and now I’m able to embark on this amazing journey in Ireland as well. I have basketball to thank for countless memories, most of my friends and life lessons that have brought me a long way. I can continue to go on and on, but basketball has always played a vital role in my life from my earliest memory.
I had one of the best moments in my life when I had a chance to participate in wheelchair basketball on a Friday night. The environment was amazing from the moment I walked into the gym. Out of the 23 people who participated in this event about eight or nine actually had a disability. It was my first time around the sport and I was amazed the entire time. One thing I learned is that anyone can join and be a part of the wheelchair basketball team and quite a high number of people do it for recreation and sport.
After figuring how to move on the court (it’s harder than you think) I was able to participate in a couple mini-games. Luckily, I was one of two beginners on my team so I was able to let the experienced players make the big plays and they helped me out as well. I was able to score a bucket. After going up and down the court multiple times your arms start to take a toll on you and when it’s time to finally shoot you definitely feel the pain!
It was truly an honor to be a part of such a wonderful experience and I look forward in seeing how the growth of wheelchair basketball can continue to grow in Northern Ireland. I want to thank the Tigers Basketball Club for putting on this amazing event and for my invite to participate. I left a fan of the game and of a couple players who had a high level of skill.
