May here in Rwanda was a flurry of activity back and forth from the Rwinkwavu to Kigali to Rilima and back again, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Now that May has come and gone, and I have had time to reflect a little more, I realize how this experience has truly brought my athletic experiences full circle.
Anyone who watches basketball knows the name Pat Summitt, the legendary coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball program and a pioneer of women’s athletics. I was fortunate to grow up in Knoxville and later be a student-athlete at the University of Tennessee in an athletics department heavily shaped by Pat’s legacy. Pat’s definite dozen, a set of rules that guided her program, is a staple of every Lady Vol team, and I know all twelve by heart. One particular axiom has presented itself in a myriad of ways this month: number 11 -- Change is a Must.
May was a month of growth personally, professionally, and for Shooting Touch as an organization. I am officially over halfway through my time in Rwanda, and while I still have much more to learn, I am at point now where I can start to reflect and see the lessons I have learned here. I know that I am walking away from this fellowship changed and my perspectives broadened in ways I never imagined.
Professionally, this was an exciting month, and I had the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects in addition to the normal routine of basketball practices. First, we prepped and hosted a group of students from my alma mater at our Rilima court for an afternoon of home visits, basketball practice, and a health lesson on the importance of electrolytes in hydration. The students were fantastic, and I had the opportunity to catch up with a former professor and mentor who has been so supportive of me both during my time at Tennessee and after. Off the court, I started researching Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation. As I read the report from front to back, I documented the specific goals relevant to Shooting Touch’s work, and how our programs are moving the needle on sweeping issues such as health equity and gender equality. Later that same week, Madi and I helped paint the basketball court in Mayange for an upcoming event in partnership with the Basketball Africa League, a task that required more math than I’ve done in years. Needless to say, I wore a lot of hats this month.
The Mayange event was a personal highlight as we hosted the BAL U-23 Women’s camp for a basketball clinic and sexual and reproductive health workshop with over 100 women from our courts. Seeing the U-23 players engaging with our beneficiaries and coaches was an incredible picture of the growth of women’s basketball in Africa and a reminder as to why investment in women’s sports and education programs, from recreational to professional teams, is so important.
I grew up in a place that has always placed value on women’s sports, and women’s basketball in particular, and I know that I would not be where I am today without my community and university’s investment in women’s sports. Now on the other side of my athletic career, I feel an obligation to continue to elevate the women’s game, whether that be basketball or any other sport. Change is a must, and so we’ll keep pushing forward and fighting to provide opportunities for women and girls to play.
As always, Turikumwe and Go Lady Vols!