I am a working mother, proud to have a job and, above all, proud to be a mother – the mother of two boys, Stefano and Edoardo, who every day remind me of the mission for which I was chosen.
I was taking Stefano to kindergarten on his third birthday. I had prepared the cake and candles for the party with his classmates when my water broke… But it was too early; there were still more than 14 weeks until the expected due date of his little brother… We wouldn’t have to wait that long to welcome him into our lives.
I was immediately hospitalized, and five days later, Edoardo was born, like a meteor, disrupting all our plans, our dreams, the lives of myself, my husband Marco, and Stefano.
Edoardo has spastic quadriplegia caused by cerebral palsy: he is what is defined as an individual with a complex disability, while Stefano is the brother of all that this entails.
What my boys have in common (besides Baskin) is undoubtedly their capacity for resilience, the ability they have developed to withstand shocks, to face life’s adversities, to react positively to difficulties. The constant relationship with an imperfect body or situation has allowed them more time to rethink limitations and the importance of relationships, and it is an opportunity for them to think in more realistic and less omnipotent terms.
And what does Baskin have to do with all this? Baskin, I can say, is our family’s sport: both boys have chosen it. Stefano is also an assistant coach for a mini-baskin team, Dad Marco is a referee and player, and I am a huge fan!
“Baskin,” short for Inclusive Basketball, is an innovative sport – born in a school in Cremona.
Baskin won over my family gradually, although its potential was clear from the start: it is a new sporting activity inspired by basketball but with unique and innovative characteristics. A set of 10 rules governs the game, giving it dynamic and unpredictable qualities. This sport was designed to allow able-bodied and disabled people to play on the same team (composed of both men and women). It allows the active participation of players with any type of disability (physical and/or mental) that allows them to shoot 1 at a basket – an inclusive sport for everyone.
A moment from a game (photo: Ombre e Luci archive)
The rules, by valuing the contribution of each player, allow us to positively overcome that “welfare” attitude often present in physical activities offered to people with disabilities. The rules adapt the equipment, the space, and the roles so that each player can have a direct opponent of their own level and a task suited to their physical and mental abilities. It is also possible to assign a tutor role to a player on the team, who can then more or less directly assist the actions of a disabled teammate when needed.
The technical-pedagogical design of Baskin consists of adapting the equipment (6 baskets), space (2 protected areas), rules (5 roles), and communication (tutoring).
Able-bodied players in Baskin learn to integrate into and organize a group that includes different levels of ability; they must develop new communication skills, putting their creativity into play, and they establish even very intense emotional relationships. Furthermore, sharing sporting goals with disabled players allows them to appreciate the richness and abilities that diversity brings.
The disabled player increases their self-confidence and their ability to combine sacrifice with pleasure; they are stimulated to grow their psychomotor skills and their ability to interact with the boys and adults on the team. This sporting proposition offers different rehabilitation opportunities in relation to the different abilities of individuals; it takes on a strong educational value in terms of social relationships, motivational drive, and the commitment of their free time.
Sport becomes an active tool to use acquired skills and express them even in external contexts.
The team group also represents a transitional emotional base: in the group, the young person can find new, more evolved bonds than those with parental and caregiving figures; they experience the disappointment of defeat and the joy of victory, but also the pleasure of being together, and, what’s more, they have fun.
Today, Baskin is practiced in 10 Italian regions by over 8,000 students in numerous primary and secondary schools.
Edoardo is a very sensitive boy and can only control certain parts of his body with great difficulty, but he has a decent use of some fingers on his right hand, which allows him to shoot a ball suitable for his hand grip into a low basket. Playing Baskin allows him to experience team life and, what I find wonderful, allows him to play with his brother in a completely natural way without either of them having to adapt to the other.
This sport has also been a godsend for Dad, because after a period in which he followed the boys’ team just like any dad does for his children, he discovered that he could do more by trying to coach a senior team, involving other people and promoting this sport. So, welcome Baskin into our home, but above all, into our society, which is still so immature when it comes to integration.
– Nadia Pastore, 2017
Baskin in Brief
Open to Everyone
“Baskin,” short for Inclusive Basketball, is an innovative sport – born in a school in Cremona. It’s open to everyone: males and females, people with and without disabilities (physical or intellectual), with a lot or little sporting experience. It received the 1st International Prize from the Design for All Foundation in 2011.
Balanced Rules
The technical-pedagogical design of Baskin consists of adapting the equipment (6 baskets), space (2 protected areas), rules (5 roles), and communication (tutoring). Assigning each player their own role, precisely coded and also visible in the number assigned on their jersey, provides a backbone to the game, regulating the composition of the various teams in a balanced way.
Baskin in Italy
Today, Baskin is practiced in 10 Italian regions by over 8,000 students in numerous primary and secondary schools that have recognized its high educational value, and by almost 2,000 players in around 100 pioneering sports clubs that participate in tournaments organized by the Baskin ONLUS Association.
To Learn More
Besides “explaining Baskin,” it is certainly essential to see it. Photos and videos are on the official website: baskin.it
