“Take the shot!”

With less than one minute to go, Keiko Kobayakawa knew she had to act. The game was close. Still six metres away from the basket, Kobayakawa took the shot and … Swish. Her daring three-point shot won her high school team the game.
“At first I didn’t want to play basketball,” said Kobayakawa. “I wanted to play badminton.”

She tried basketball at the urging of a friend. The fast action of dribbling and shooting quickly changed her mind.

That was over 10 years ago. Kobayakawa hasn’t looked back since.

This first-year kinesiology student from Japan notes there are differences in how the game is played in Canada and Japan.

“In Japan, we do a fast break” and the emphasis is placed on speed, she said. The ball is pushed upcourt before the defence has a chance to set up.

The teamwork and camaraderie on and off the court, however, is universal.

Basketball allows Kobayakawa to develop skills that she hopes will help in her future career as a physical therapist. Not only has basketball taught her to “keep going,” it has also helped her develop mental strength. She said success is a combination of perseverance and hard work.

“Never give up, even if you are small. You have to believe in yourself,” she said.

Kobayakawa looks forward to traveling and playing games in western Canada with the Wesmen. Her goal is to help the Wesmen get to the nationals at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont. in March 2010.

Published in Volume 64, Number 5 of The Uniter (October 1, 2009)