{"id":33171,"date":"2023-01-10T16:24:58","date_gmt":"2023-01-10T16:24:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/basketball-player-on-pushing-past-the-walls-of-physical-disability-2"},"modified":"2023-01-10T18:57:59","modified_gmt":"2023-01-10T18:57:59","slug":"basketball-player-on-pushing-past-the-walls-of-physical-disability-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sport\/basketball-player-on-pushing-past-the-walls-of-physical-disability-2","title":{"rendered":"Basketball player on pushing past the walls of physical disability"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>What limits you from doing what you want to do? Is the hindrance physical, financial, psychological, or emotional? And what are you doing to achieve your dream in the face of adversity?<\/p>\n

For 23-year-old Dieudonne Munyaneza, being born with physical limitations robbed him of the joy and liberty to partake in many games. The youngster narrates that most of the time, he looked on in admiration as children his age in the neighbourhood had the freedom to run, walk, play football, and other games, but he couldn\u2019t join them even though he wanted to. This is because the crutches he used couldn\u2019t support him much, and there were no children with disabilities to play with.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring primary school, I was a sad child because I witnessed the potential most children without disability had but didn\u2019t exploit, and I imagined what I could have done if I was in their shoes,\u201d he says, recalling how he dreaded trying out some games.<\/p>\n

Munyaneza still recalls one specific day when he watched a group of young boys play basketball with agility and much amusement. He was entertained and cheered them on all the way through.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor once, I felt inner joy. This is a game that I wanted to learn regardless of my impairment,\u201d he says. However, the idea of holding the ball in one hand and a crutch in another scared him.<\/p>\n

\u2018What if I slipped, fell, and hurt myself?\u201d He thought to himself, and at the time, there was no equipment to help him play basketball.<\/p>\n

Lacking the equipment and a trainer in the sport encouraged Munyaneza to invest time in watching how professional wheelchair basketball players engaged in the game, via YouTube.<\/p>\n

The more he watched the games, the more he got stirred and took a leap of faith.<\/p>\n

Sport in a wheelchair<\/b><\/p>\n

Munyaneza didn\u2019t know of any wheelchair basketball clubs in Rwanda. But in 2017, a friend reached out and told him about basketball teams for people living with disability. During school holidays, he notes, he looked into teams in Gasabo, Kicukiro, and Bugesera.<\/p>\n

He gathered information on Coach Jean Paul Hirwa, who joined the Bugesera wheelchair basketball club which he instructs.<\/p>\n

Munyaneza searched for the team\u2019s timetable and joined them for rehearsals one evening at Amahoro stadium, and he was warmly welcomed.<\/p>\n

\u201cCoach Hirwa called me aside and asked me a few questions, but one thing I needed him to know was that I eagerly yearned to join the team. That same day, he guided me on how to control the wheelchair with the ball and shoot,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

The day the coach asked him to join the team, he says, was one of the best days of his life, and even noted it in his diary.<\/p>\n

Since then, he has participated in training and rehearsals, and in 2018, the coach announced a tournament in Johannesburg slated for 2021.<\/p>\n

He asked the players to practice as he was to choose the best four to join the national team, he adds.<\/p>\n

Munyaneza knew it was time to give the game his all, thus using spare time to practice on his own and focus on skills such as target, drilling, and giving a pass. It helped that he completed secondary school in 2021, which gave him more time to up his game.<\/p>\n

The hard work paid off, and he was chosen to represent the wheelchair team of Rwanda, in Johannesburg, South Africa. Although Rwanda didn\u2019t win against the Kenyan and Johannesburg teams, Munyaneza still considered it a victory. \u201cIt gave me confidence, that I could do so much more,\u201d he notes.<\/p>\n

In 2022, Munyaneza joined the Indangamirwa Wheelchair Basketball Team where he plays today, still under coach Hirwa\u2019s assistance.<\/p>\n

At the moment, the coach offers the team training and refreshments, and some financial support where necessary, however, the players are not yet given a salary as the team is still new.<\/p>\n

Practising how to shoot in his free time.<\/p>\n

Munyaneza says the team lacks financial support to keep moving since the coach can\u2019t provide all the equipment they require.<\/p>\n

\u201cRwanda\u2019s wheelchair basketball needs to be boosted by organising more friendly tournaments with other countries as this will attract more support in terms of sponsorship,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

His future plans are to win tournaments to make his coach proud, and be an inspiration to many other physically impaired people who don\u2019t believe in themselves.<\/p>\n

The local basketball player looks forward to playing with wheelchair teams in England and Canada as they are talented.<\/p>\n

He is currently pursuing a Bachelor\u2019s degree with Kepler in project management. In his free time, he enjoys singing and reading stories of successful basketball players.<\/p>\n

His role model is Patrick Anderson, a Canadian basketball player, largely considered the best wheelchair basketball player in the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact that he started playing at a young age and has won numerous medals at all levels of the sport, with three Paralympic gold medals and one Paralympic silver medal, I am optimistic that with the right support, I can be just like him one day,\u201d Munyaneza concludes.<\/p>\n\r\n