Road to the Games is a series of articles profiling Ismaili athletes from countries around the world, and the journeys they have undertaken to reach the Golden Jubilee Games. The series is being published in the run-up to the Games, which will take place between 23 – 29 June in Nairobi, Kenya.
Aalia Chatur participated in the Canadian Ismaili Games in May 2008. She chronicles the Canadian journey to the Golden Jubilee Games in three instalments, the second of which is presented below. (Read part one and part three.)
Hockey players transformed!
Many Canadian Ismailis share a great passion and are skilled in the national sport of hockey. Alas, it was not included in the Golden Jubilee Games! But that didn't stop us from participating; our love of sport, a vivid team spirit and the excitement of celebrating the Golden Jubilee trumped any lingering discontent.
A soccer goalkeeper makes a save. Asif Bhalesha / Michelle Penny
Along with other floor hockey players, I decided to try out for the British Columbia Women's Basketball team. Although a majority of us had little experience playing basketball, we were determined to be part of the tournament. It is not easy to quickly absorb the rules, skills and strategies of a new sport, but we rose to the challenge.
Alongside others, I participated in three weeks of tryouts before being selected to the basketball team. However, the semi-final and final games of the Ismaili Women's Hockey League coincided with the basketball tryout period; unfortunately, I badly sprained my wrist during the hockey semi-final.
A cricket batsman and wicketkeeper take their positons. Moez Visram
The injury was so severe that I could barely write, let alone play basketball. Luckily, having participated in two of the three tryouts was sufficient to be considered and accepted to the regional team. I struggled during the following weeks of practice – surely my wrist would heal in time for the national games… wouldn't it?
Athlete or spectator?
Upon successful completion of the tryouts, the BC women's basketball team began an intense period of training. At the outset, our coaches outlined the rules and theory of the game.
As hockey players, a majority of us had only played basketball casually, therefore much of the information was new. Gradually we would replace “defence” and “forward” from our hockey lingo with counterpart basketball terms like “point guard” and “post.”
A swimmer fights hard to reach the end of a relay. Asif Bhalesha and Michelle Penny
For eight weeks leading up to the big event, we met on Tuesday evenings for cardio exercises, Sunday evenings for three to four hours of vigorous practice and often on Friday nights to strengthen individual skills and address weaknesses.
The coaches put us through a heavy routine of basketball and endurance-building drills. They taught us several strategic “plays” that took time to master due to their complexity. Only after many weeks of building a solid foundation did we begin scrimmaging in the lead-up to the national games. In that time, the BC women were transformed into Team United, a title we truly personified!
While Team United made rapid progress, I continued to struggle with my sports injury. During the first six weeks of practice, I visited my physiotherapist regularly and attended practices wearing a wrist brace, avoiding heavy ball-contact drills. But my wrist was badly injured and could not endure the strenuous demands of the sport.
Sportsmanship at its best. Moez Visram
After much contemplation and advice from coaches, teammates and physiotherapists, I made the difficult decision of stepping down from the team. For the first time in four years of Ismaili sports festivals, I would be a spectator rather than a player – and this was about to be the biggest festival of Ismaili sport in our history!
