Songül Çelik, 40, who decided to become an athlete while receiving treatment for her physical disability in Germany, improved herself in basketball at a club she entered in Turkey, when she returned at the age of 18.
The successful athlete, who proved himself in the pot over time, was entitled to wear the national jersey in 2002.
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Songül, who was selected as an assistant coach in the Wheelchair Basketball National Team about 3 years ago, also entered the team of Hatay Metropolitan Belediyespor, which competes in the Wheelchair Basketball 2nd League and consists of all men.
Songül is also the head coach of the Hatay team, of which she is the only female player.
Receiving the appreciation of both his team and his family for his successes, the national athlete dreams of establishing a disabled women’s basketball league in Turkey.
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“It took me a while to convince my family”
Songül Çelik said that while she was receiving treatment abroad, she observed that the disabled people there look at life more positively through sports.
That’s why he decided to improve himself in a sport as soon as he returned to Turkey, Songül stated that he was first interested in swimming.
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Songül said that when she went to a swimming club to meet, she came across basketball training.
“When I sat on the wheelchair, I thought that the main sport I should do was basketball and I really enjoyed it. That’s how it started after that, I was 18 years old and the team I was supposed to play on was all male. It was a little difficult for my family, it took some time to convince my family and I had a hard time. They came to watch in the first practice, ‘Why aren’t there any other women?’ they asked. I told them that women are not allowed, that they, as my family, should break this prejudice. Thankfully, they also became my supporters later on.”
Expressing that her basketball journey, which she started by convincing her family, has progressed successfully, Songül said that she also wore the national jersey for the first time in the European Wheelchair Women’s Championship held in Germany 14 years ago.
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Songül stated that she later decided to coach in Hatay Metropolitan Belediyespor, where she was the only female player.
“The national team was not in my mind at first, I had the project ‘I will become a coach in my own country, I will train female athletes like me.’ They deemed him worthy of the duty of coaching. Most recently, I worked as the assistant coach of our national team in the European Championship in Spain.”
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Establishing a fictional disabled women’s basketball league
Emphasizing that he is very happy in both teams, Songül said that he continues to work to improve himself day by day.
Songül explained that she and her teammates are a very good team in Hatay Metropolitan Belediyespor, which consists of all men.
“I would like to establish a women’s basketball league for the disabled because Turkey, I wish it didn’t exist, but it’s a mine for the disabled. We have a lot of disabled people, we can find female disabled basketball players from all points, I know people who have a very good mind and who I believe can be talented. In Turkey, as in England. If we have a women’s league like us, we can create a very successful team in Europe and the world this time, I hope it is my dream.”
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