ESTCOURT KZN: ‘Perfect shot’ gets Andiswa hooked on basketball

Heeding her coach and educator’s advice that ‘talent outweighs disability’, Andiswa Shange picked up a basketball and took her first shot.

What she calls a ‘perfect shot’ while in Grade 3 awakened her love for basketball and now at 15 years old, she continues to score.

Andiswa’s home is in Hlathikhulu. She attended KwaZamokuhle Special School before moving to Adelaide Tambo Special School in Gauteng. With a disability that presented itself at birth, one of Andiswa’s legs is shorter than the other, hampering her movement. Wheelchair basketball has helped to overcome this ‘hurdle’.

“When I play wheelchair basketball, I feel great even though I’m not the best of players. When I do good things on the court, I know it’s because I can make up for my lack of athleticism by being a student of the game. It’s the one place on earth where I am in my element. I don’t worry about school or family or problems; I think about what’s in front of me and how I can get the ball in the hoop,” explains Andiswa.

Playing wheelchair basketball has given this young woman many opportunities to play in prestigious tournaments and be part of aspirant teams.

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She is currently playing for Young Dynamics Wheelchair Basketball Club and has been part of the KwaZulu-Natal Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, National Top Schools Tournament, KZN Disability Games and the Provincial Wheelchair Basketball League.

“The most important tournament I attended was the National Top School Games. I was awarded ‘Most Valuable Player’ and will be forever grateful for the chance I was given by Sir Dlamini, who is my coach,” says Andiswa.

Learning from the sport has also brought about personal growth for the young lass.

“The game of wheelchair basketball is beautiful and it affects people from all walks of life! Thus, no one is more special than any other. We’re all equal in the eyes of the game – whether you’re new to wheelchair basketball and hope to become a great player or you’re a normal basketball player or fan who wants to know more about the sport. Advice from my educator and coach, Mr Qaphelani Dlamini, has seen me grow a lot. He used to say ‘talent outweighs disability’ and ‘disability doesn’t mean inability’,” she says when asked what the game has taught her.

Andiswa describes wheelchair basketball as a sport that brings people with a variety of disabilities together to achieve a common goal.

“Every disabled person must try it!” she concludes.

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