The Power of Inspiration

National Basketball Player
Nazia Nazmul
Talks to
Naziba Basher

Courtesy: Nazia Nazmul

When I was in Maple Leaf International School, I loved creating mayhem-- starting from spray painting walls to puncturing tires of our supervisor's bike. We were a group of twelve friends and we used to do pretty much everything together. We are all still very close. After finishing 7th Grade in Maple Leaf, I moved to ESS for around six months but I did my O levels (9th and 10th Grade) and A levels (11th and 12th Grade) in private.

I got interested in basketball in 7th grade. A month or two after I started playing basketball, an inter-school tournament had come along and I was the youngest player in the tournament. Everyone had underestimated me thinking there was not much I would be able to do. But I ended up being the MVP (Most Valuable Player) for that tournament. One thing I would never be able to forget is how I heard the people in the stands scream out my name and cheer me on for the first time. It was an absolutely incredible feeling!

I played all the way till my O levels. My family had gotten a little upset with me because of poor grades due to matches and so I had to stop playing. Since I was not allowed to play, I did everything else-- started painting, debating and what not. My father had finally given up knowing that I would find my way back to playing basketball again and he let me go back to it eventually. The Wild Cats had just formed then and I had gotten a call from Mizan Sir, our coach, about joining and I just jumped at the opportunity and then, slowly and gradually, I became a part of the National Bangladeshi Women's Basketball team.

After my A levels were finished, I joined Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) to major in Media and Communication. All the players from Wild Cats, including myself, decided to create our own teams into our respective universities and bring some glory to college ball. Finally, after training all the players in our universities' teams, we played in inter-university tournament where IUB was the runners-up. Since then, all the universities that had taken part started taking basketball seriously.

My biggest inspiration would have to be my father. He shares his own experiences with me and keeps pushing me forward to reach greater heights. My fans also inspire me a great deal. When I hear them cheer for me, it gives me an extra boost to bring betterment to my game. I cannot go without mentioning my three coaches, first of them being Bulbul sir. He was a very kind man and raised my spirits by telling me that basketball skills were a gift from the almighty. Then I had Niaz Sir as a coach and he made sure I become a better person along with a better player. And I learned the most from Mizan Sir. I improved drastically playing under him. He has inspired me to a point where I was to play just like him! All my friends and teachers have also always been very supportive and encouraged me to keep playing.

For those who have not yet experienced the pleasure of playing basketball -- give it a shot! I am sure you would go through that incredible feeling of emancipation. Trust my words, the moments that you may experience by then will define 'being in love for the first time' every time!