Basketball taught me to hustle
As a premie I developed some problems that resulted into my present condition. I have Cerebral Palsy and use a wheelchair with Cerebral Palsy-related conditions. When I moved to the US as a 10 year old, I instantly liked watching basketball! Of course, living in Los Angeles, I am a Lakers fan for life. There is just something about the Lakers that drew me in. I continue to root for them despite their ups and downs. Very early I had established a goal for myself. And that is to eventually work for the Lakers at some point.
First, I started learning about the sport. For the past 15+ years I have watched basketball on TV every single day (almost). I listened to commentators, coaches, players speaking about basketball and learned a lot about the game that way. Second, I had my dad buy me a basketball video game. I have been playing NBA games on my gaming console for 15+ years now, which has allowed me to understand how teams play the game and the strategies they use to win.
wheelchair basketball
Lastly, I joined a wheelchair basketball team here in Los Angeles called Northridge Knights. I have been playing on the local NWBA league games for the past 10 years now. I volunteer at several places whenever I can and have made a bunch of friends in the wheelchair community.
Right now, I have a gig as a basketball instructor for 4-5 year olds. Friends of my parents say that it is not easy to end up working in an area which is one’s passion, and they wish me well in what I do. I always set goals for myself that seem to be difficult to achieve for someone in a wheelchair, but eventually end up reaching them – partially if not completely. But, the next one may be tough just because it is the Lakers and it’s hard to get a job working for them. However, I am very determined to reach my goal someday. Every goal I’ve set for myself has been reachable, so this one will also be – eventually!
