The following post is taken from my journal that I wrote today at Amahoro stadium…enjoy!
So here I am in this gym where A.P.R (the military sponsored team) will play next. It is 12:26 and the game was supposed to start at 12:00. However, there is another game going on…and it is not basketball. I have never seen this game before?? It has wide goals and is played with something like a medicine ball that also has bearings in it that jingle when they throw it.
After being here for about 10 minutes…I have realized something important about this game…many people (all guys) are coming in with walking sticks or being led by someone. Each and every player is actually blind! This game has just become fascinating and you can’t help but feel good watching it…even mesmerized by the nature of the game.
Some rules/points of the game:
It is very quite in the gym so the players may hear the ball
Not a word is muttered by the players…they communicate by tapping the ball or ground
If there is a penalty, one player must come out for one serve
Coaches meet for coin flip before game to decide who has ball first
There is tape on the ground in certain places to provide for court awareness
Most players are barefoot and they where hip, knee, and elbow pads
Enough…here is another one…I added this second one for a different perspective and because it is so cool…
Sports and Public Service? I think so.
