yoocan - Vibe Thotapalli - I eat, sleep & dream basketball with Cerebral Palsy
DAILY LIVING & MOBILITY

I eat, sleep & dream basketball with Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy (CP)

Vibe Thotapalli

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!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

EMPOWER OTHERS!

Share this story to help change someone's life

WELCOME TO YOOCAN

THE GLOBAL COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY FOR SHARING EXPERIENCES AND KNOWLEDGE BY AND FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SO NO ONE FEELS ALONE.

BY CREATING AN ACCOUNT YOU AGREE TO THE TERMS OF SERVICE ANDPRIVACY POLICY.