INSPIRED BY THE GAME


INSPIRED BY THE GAME


I guess my love for basketball did not happen by accident. I did not understand it either as I had been a Barcelona fan since I gained football wit.

Normally when basketball is mentioned we all think of well build masculine men. Think of LeBron James (2.03 m tall), Kevin Durant (2.07 m tall). These guys are huge and could break your spine if you tried to block their dunk.

In football we have always had people with disability excelling but who ever thought a boy with no arms could play basketball. That will be out of one’s wildest imagination. To dunk you need a hand, to shoot you need a hand, to block you need a hand, to pass you need a hand.

Jamarion Style had a bacteria infection at his childhood and lost both arms but he insisted that would not be a hindrance to his dream. He did not accept any advice to play soccer. He only wanted to play basketball with or without arms. But which manager would add an armless boy to his team? That would be ridiculous. Even his own friends would not give him a chance  in the backyard games.
It took someone with an EYE to spot the bigger heart and strong will of this boy. He said to the coach “ even if I don’t play, I just want to be on the team”

Finally he got a team and as expected, was always on the bench. His coach said this about him “ he is the first to hit the gym and the last to leave”

One day, the coach put him on the game with six minutes left. When a ball was passed to him he shot it and it was three. In the game of basketball three point shot means a lot. As if that was just a fluke, he got the ball again and shot another three. The second three was more heroic because it was at the buzzer ( last minute).

Jamarion Style, armless and just 14 years old is now a hero.
After this heroic he was asked if he would accept an artificial arm to enable him advance his play. The boy responded “ I DON’T WANT THEM”. Who will need an arm to shot three if he could do that without it.

IF YOU THINK YOU CAN OR THINK YOU CAN’T, YOU ARE RIGHT - HENRY FORD

Author
Edward Cobbinah
cobbiedward@yahoo.co.uk



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