The Tongaat Indoor Sports Centre recently played host to an enthralling Sasol Amawheelaboys Green vs Gold series. The series serves as preparation for the team’s upcoming qualifier games, notably for the 2019 IWBF Africa Paralympics and 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
Local boy Kyle Bowles was in action for the Green team and was pleased to play in front of the home crowd. “It was a great feeling playing at home. It’s always good when you see people taking an interest and supporting the team, it motivates us.”
Limitless is an initiative that aims to garner more support for the sport and to inspire people through our national wheelchair basketball team.
Bowles was involved in a motorbike accident in 2013 which put him in a wheelchair. “The accident changed my view on life. My wife and kid depended on me and I couldn’t let them down. I was going to be a role model for my little boy. I owed him that much.
I set myself goals that I wanted to reach, and one of the biggest and most important goal for me was to play for the national wheelchair basketball team. That made me more determined than ever. It was something that I really wanted to accomplish. The support I received from my family and friends was overwhelming and more reason to achieve that goal.
“Finally, in 2016 my hard work paid off! I was called up to represent the national team in the 2016 World Cup qualifiers in my home city Durban. I get goose bumps whenever I think of that moment; it’s something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Every time I put on the green and gold colours to represent my country, there’s a feeling that I can’t express in words.”
Bowles had some words of encouragement for people living with a disability. “Don’t wait for things to happen! You must make it happen, focus on your goals, focus on positive things and focus on the ones you love.”
Sasol Group Brand Marketing Manager Nozipho Mbatha was pleased with the direction the team was heading. “We at Sasol are immensely proud to be partners with Wheelchair Basketball South Africa. Our support of the Sasol AmaWheelaBoys runs parallel with Sasol’s overall support of people with disabilities. Kyle’s story reflects the desire, determination and passion that lies within this team. He is a role model in so many ways and we hope that through profiling and showcasing his story, we can inspire others to follow in similar paths.”
The Sasol AmaWheelaBoys will continue their preparations in October with a trip to Mandeville in Gauteng for Green vs Gold game 5. You can keep track of the team’s preparations on their website wbsa.basketball.co.za or on Facebook and Twitter @amawheelaboys.
