Bologna, 13 April –
Manuel is a 23-year-old boy born in the province of Bologna and is a great fan of Virtus Segafredo Bologna.
From 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 these had resulted in his rare disabilities.
Now, his new role in the team is that of the pivot and represents one of the first offensive options of his team. This new sport has put him in front of a challenge with himself and with his whole life. Baskin thus becomes a means of overcoming the obstacles that life holds for him on a daily basis, a personal revenge culminating in a basket scored during the interval by 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 demonstration of Baskin in a sold out Segafredo Arena: a memory that will remain indelible in their memories.
The joy felt in that moment was so intense that it overwhelmed Manuel so much that he moved. For him, a true Juventus fan, these sensations are the crowning achievement of a dream he had always considered impossible, especially due to his difficulties.
People with disabilities are often stronger and more determined than one might imagine: Manuel explained to us that, in this specific situation, the solution is offered by sport itself. Baskin puts players in a condition of comfort where problems are transformed into strengths: realizing that you overcome your difficulties so much as to become a resource for your teammates is a source of extreme pride and happiness. Baskin always encourages you to give your best, it allows you to go on an introspective journey and leads to the understanding of many aspects 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 into mutual knowledge .
The uncertainty that gripped Manuel before this new experience subsequently turned into a possibility of growth thanks to the comparison with others. In his team, the “Psg Welcome Baskin Bologna”, respect and mutual exchange are the basis of interpersonal relationships: the difficult communication sometimes leads the boys to face different types of problems and to learn how to overcome them.
During the meetings of the OneTeam project, Manuel had a personal impact that made the difference: he was a teacher for the youth sectors of Virtus and Magika Pallacanestro. In addition, he had deep conversations with OneTeam ambassador Kyle Weems, who learned the rules of Baskin from him, realizing that his sports idols are ordinary people with their strengths and weaknesses. Another fundamental aspect of the project was the creation of new ties with the youth sectors of Virtus Segafredo and Magika Pallacanestro, in which Manuel hopes to have transmitted the values and teachings that all participants can bring to their lives as a whole. the days, through the inclusiveness of the Baskin.
Even international players such as Daniel Hackett and Kyle Weems have discovered an incredible new sport, enriching their personal experience: the OneTeam group thus had the opportunity to learn from the boys of the youth sector the will to compete on the field, sharing with them the joy and love for basketball.
Manuel confessed how, before matches, he was always anxious, but at the end of this experience, he managed to become aware of what his role is on the pitch and how to be useful to the team, giving his best to win victory .
The confrontation between Baskin’s 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 has found new groups of supporters in the others.
In conclusion, the Baskin was already part of Manuel’s life when the OneTeam project started. The turning point occurred by putting together teams of different genders, ages and conditions, facing each other and confronting each other in a circle at the end of the training sessions. There are still many steps to be taken on the path of inclusiveness, others must be brought into everyday life, while others represented solid foundations within each one for which a simple spark was enough to make the flame of passion flare up.
WE ARE ALL ONETEAM!
