Zita Gloria Ineza Teta, Grade 12
UWCEA Moshi Campus
Last week, I was talking to the incoming class of 2024. They wanted us, as seniors, to suggest which sport they should join when they arrived on campus. This is when I found myself in the middle of a debate with my friends fighting over who should join basketball and who should join netball. I often find myself in this kind of situation because I love basketball. Netball is fine but, basketball is more than just a game; it is a family and something I really appreciate.
When I describe basketball, I often do it as a love story because it truly is. The first time I picked up a basketball, I was in grade 2. I did not know the rules or how to properly hold it, but I was sure of one thing: this game was going to be a crucial element in my life. From then, all I dreamt of was basketball. At some point, I even imagined myself going pro and hopefully playing in the WNBA.
As I grow up, my dreams change. I certainly don’t want to play basketball professionally, but my love for it never fades. Today, I play basketball because it is a way for me to relax, to make friends, who later become family. I play the game because of the rash of emotions it gives me. It might be fear before a very big game, disappointment after a major loss or the joy of lifting a trophy. I have been through it all!
Sometimes my friends do not get why I practice almost twice a day, even with the heavy schedule and responsibilities that come with being an IB student. Well, I also struggle to understand that, but I guess the biggest lesson I have learnt from playing ball is that nothing ever comes easily in life. You learn this through the suicide running, the pushups when you miss a layup or running 10 laps around the football pitch when you fail to execute a play.
Basketball, though, is not only about pain and sacrifice. It is also appreciating the progress of your teammates, respecting your opponents and believing in yourself. Everyone on the team has their special celebration when they make a three or when they make a blind pass; that is what turns friends to family. My teammates from Rwanda and those who are overseas are now part of my family. It all started with a coach who saw something in me and who is now part of a huge family that never seizes to expand as I embrace new opportunities in my country and beyond.
There could be many other sports I would enjoy, but basketball makes all the difference. And as Michael Jordan said, “The game of basketball has been everything to me. My place of refuge, the place I’ve always gone where I needed comfort and peace. It’s been the site of intense pain and the most intense feelings of joy and satisfaction. It’s a relationship that has evolved over time, giving me the greatest respect and love for the game.” With that said, I hope to experience more joy, hard work and success not only in basketball but in every aspect of life that basketball has never stopped to influence.
When I describe basketball, I often do it as a love story because it truly is. The first time I picked up a basketball, I was in grade 2. I did not know the rules or how to properly hold it, but I was sure of one thing: this game was going to be a crucial element in my life. From then, all I dreamt of was basketball. At some point, I even imagined myself going pro and hopefully playing in the WNBA.
As I grow up, my dreams change. I certainly don’t want to play basketball professionally, but my love for it never fades. Today, I play basketball because it is a way for me to relax, to make friends, who later become family. I play the game because of the rash of emotions it gives me. It might be fear before a very big game, disappointment after a major loss or the joy of lifting a trophy. I have been through it all!
Sometimes my friends do not get why I practice almost twice a day, even with the heavy schedule and responsibilities that come with being an IB student. Well, I also struggle to understand that, but I guess the biggest lesson I have learnt from playing ball is that nothing ever comes easily in life. You learn this through the suicide running, the pushups when you miss a layup or running 10 laps around the football pitch when you fail to execute a play.
Basketball, though, is not only about pain and sacrifice. It is also appreciating the progress of your teammates, respecting your opponents and believing in yourself. Everyone on the team has their special celebration when they make a three or when they make a blind pass; that is what turns friends to family. My teammates from Rwanda and those who are overseas are now part of my family. It all started with a coach who saw something in me and who is now part of a huge family that never seizes to expand as I embrace new opportunities in my country and beyond.
There could be many other sports I would enjoy, but basketball makes all the difference. And as Michael Jordan said, “The game of basketball has been everything to me. My place of refuge, the place I’ve always gone where I needed comfort and peace. It’s been the site of intense pain and the most intense feelings of joy and satisfaction. It’s a relationship that has evolved over time, giving me the greatest respect and love for the game.” With that said, I hope to experience more joy, hard work and success not only in basketball but in every aspect of life that basketball has never stopped to influence.
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