Notes on Basketball

Today was the first day of basketball teaching. As I am growing accustomed to in this country, it was not what I expected. As usual, Banda came to collect me from my house and walk me to my placement. It is a big concrete court in the backyard of a church about 5 mins away from my house. There are six hoops: two lengthways, and two on each half of the court width ways.  The concrete was not very even and it is very evident that this area was not designed as a basketball court. I was introduced to my supervisor, a large Senegalese man wearing sweats. He told that I was to take a group of players and run drills with them.  I was given the group of 10 girls whose ages ranged from 10-18. I did left-handed lay-up drills for a little while, before splitting them into teams and letting them play a match. I probably should’ve brushed up on my French Basketball vocabulary because I struggled to tell them what to do and relied mostly on demonstrations. Thank God I made my first shot because I don’t think I would have been able to control them otherwise. It was evident however, that one of the nine year old could have done a better job than me.

After about an hour, the supervisor called us over, and split us up into teams for some matches (Part of my placement is to just play with the older guys). I didn’t play bad, but not playing in several months had made me a bit rusty (I did have a 3 point play one game though). Nevertheless, I still felt a bit out of place, and kept getting looks that were to say “I am not quite sure what to make of this character.” My insecurities were soon put to rest though. At the end of the matches, one of the better players (6’3 Senegalese guy who absolutely stuffed me one play) came up to me and said “bien joue, vous etes un bon jouer.” In English, “well played, you are a good player.” Perhaps the highlight of my trip so far.