Bologna, 13 April –
Manuel is a 23-year-old boy born in the province of Bologna and a big fan of Virtus Segafredo Bologna.
Since this year, he has approached the world of Baskin, an ultra-inclusive sport where able-bodied players can play with people with different degrees of disability, thanks to specific rules that allow all participants to compete together for victory. Before discovering Baskin at the age of 22, Manuel had tried other sports, such as basketball or wheelchair tennis, but none of them had been adapted to his rare disabilities.
Now, his new role on the team is that of pivot and he is one of his team’s first offensive options. This new sport has challenged him with himself and his whole life. Baskin thus became a means to overcome the obstacles that life holds in store for him on a daily basis, a personal revenge that culminated with a basket scored during halftime of Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs Barcelona, in front of 9,000 people at the Segafredo Arena. That day, all the protagonists of the OneTeam project had the opportunity to take the field to offer a Baskin demonstration in a sold-out Segafredo Arena: a memory that will remain indelible in their memories.
The joy felt at that moment was so intense that it overwhelmed Manuel to the point of moving him. These feelings for him, a true Juventus fan, are the fulfilment of a dream that he had always considered impossible, especially because of his difficulties.
People with disabilities are often stronger and more determined than one can imagine: Manuel explained that, in this specific situation, the solution is offered by sport itself. Baskin puts the players in a state of comfort where problems are transformed into strengths: realising that you can overcome your difficulties to such an extent that you become an asset to your teammates is a source of extreme pride and happiness. Baskin always stimulates one to give one’s all, it allows one to go on an introspective journey and leads to the understanding of many aspects that were previously taken for granted: playing in a mixed team made up of people of different genders and with different degrees of disability is a journey of mutual understanding.
The uncertainty that gripped Manuel before this new experience was later transformed into a chance to grow through confrontation with others. In his team, the ‘Psg Welcome Baskin Bologna’, respect and mutual exchange are the basis of interpersonal relationships: difficult communication sometimes leads the boys to face different types of problems and learn how to overcome them.
During the OneTeam project meetings, Manuel had a personal impact that made all the difference: he was a teacher for Virtus and Magika Pallacanestro youth teams. In addition, he had a deep conversation with OneTeam ambassador Kyle Weems, who learnt the rules of Baskin from him, realising that his sporting idols are ordinary people with their strengths and weaknesses. Another key aspect of the project has been the creation of new ties with the youth sectors of Virtus Segafredo and Magika Pallacanestro, to whom Manuel hopes to have passed on the values and teachings that all participants can take into their everyday lives through the inclusiveness of Baskin.
International players such as Daniel Hackett and Kyle Weems also discovered an incredible new sport, enriching their own personal experience. The OneTeam group thus had the opportunity to learn from the youth players the will to compete on the court, sharing with them the joy and love of basketball.
Manuel confessed how, before games, he was always anxious, but at the end of this experience, he was able to achieve an awareness of what his role is on the court and how to be useful to the team by giving his best to win.
The confrontation between the Baskin players and the youth sector was important, fun and useful for the personal growth of both: the bonds of friendship created will ensure that each of the teams found new groups of supporters in the others.
In conclusion, Baskin was already part of Manuel’s life when the OneTeam project started. The turning point occurred by bringing together teams of different gender, age and condition, facing each other and confronting each other in a circle at the end of training sessions. There are still many steps to be taken on the road to inclusiveness, others need to be brought into everyday life, while others represented solid foundations within each one that needed only a spark to ignite the flame of passion.
WE ARE ALL ONETEAM!
