In each country in Africa we don’t have an organization like the NCAA in the United States (U.S.). The NCAA helps student athletes achieve their goals in both sports and school. Student athletes in the U.S. know that if they don’t pass their classes they won’t be able to play; therefore, they would loose their eligibility. Eligibility guidelines are not something we have in Africa because school and sport are not combine. School can be in an area that’s far away from the basketball court.
Student athletes are on their own educationally and sportively. Some of those student athletes succeed by the support of their parents financially and mentally because it is not everyone that can afford both school and sport. What I mean by that is that student athletes don’t get paid playing basketball, they have to pay everything by themselves such as jerseys, shoes etc.. Here is an exemple of my experience from Mali (West Africa), every basketball court in Mali has an owner or it is for a community who you have to pay every month for playing on it. When I started playing basketball my mom was paying the money until she could not afford it. Fortunately, my dad was there to take the lead. My dad was there to pay for both basketball and education if it was not for him I would have had to be done with school years ago.
Those who don’t succeed in school are more likely to be professional players, sellers in the market or drivers. Professional players sometimes drop out of school to focus on basketball and succeed at it. Some become sellers or drivers because they don’t succeed in school or basketball. Those who can afford it and succeed with education have the opportunity to work in a big company.
Overall, it doesn’t matter how difficult it is for the student athlete from Africa. We will keep playing because the love for the sport. Also, we want to proof to ourselves that we can do it.
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