As my dad so often reminds me, I tend to lack a little thing known as hand-eye coordination, and my short-lived youth basketball career is a hot topic of jokes in the Marret household. I found the game more frustrating than rewarding as a competitive kid who hated being bad at things and was more used to having a soccer ball at my feet than a basketball in my hands. So, when I decided to move to Rwanda to work with a sport-for-development basketball organization for eight months, I was met with some skepticism. However, while I may not understand the intricacies of basketball, I can recognize the transformative power of the game to impact communities and build teams. There is nothing like a team environment to lift you up, hold you accountable, and be there to celebrate the big and small moments in life. Being here the last three weeks and observing Shooting Touch in action has only reinforced this notion.
During my few days in Kigali, we worked through some of the onboarding materials and met with the Shooting Touch leadership staff to better understand this incredible organization and our roles this year. Then we headed to our first court: Mayange Sector in Bugesera District. This was actually the first Shooting Touch court I had ever visited, almost two years ago, when I traveled to Rwanda with the University of Tennessee’s VOLeaders Academy. It was about to start raining when we arrived, so instead of running a full practice, we jumped into a quick scrimmage with the women and quickly saw the competitive, joyful energy that radiates from every Shooting Touch court. Once the rain started and the game ended, we drove to Rilima to experience the U13 boys and girls practice. This was much more my speed (and skill level) and I was happy to start shagging balls and dropping in on a few dribbling lines.
After the first week, we left Kigali and headed to Kayonza District -- home for the next few weeks and the location of six Shooting Touch Courts. We got to the house in Rwinkwavu after dark on the first night, so we truly woke up the next morning in a whole new world. It was so calm, sipping coffee on the front porch with the doors open and light pouring into the house.
With each day spent in Kayonza, we visited a new court and got to experience the unique coaching styles and energies at each. In Nyamirama, instead of practice, we hopped in to help the women build a drainage ditch around the court. In Rwinkwavu, we ran laps with the women while attempting to learn the accompanying rhythm, clapping, and singing. In Rukara, we were met with over five hundred women rotating through agility drills, passing patterns, and dribbling training. Each court was so different, yet the joy of sport and community was evident throughout.
During my second week in Rwinkwavu, my colleague Madi and I had the opportunity to visit with three women in their homes to learn more about how Shooting Touch has impacted them individually. One woman explained that when she first joined Shooting Touch, she and the other women would come to the courts with dirty hands. However, they quickly learned through our Turikumwe Health Lessons about the health benefits of washing their hands. Now, all of the women come to the courts with clean hands and take pride in their hygiene, knowing how it impacts their overall health. I am so grateful we had the opportunity to visit with all three women so soon into our time here. Hearing their stories and the tangible ways that Shooting Touch has impacted their physical, mental, and emotional health only reinforced the mission of Shooting Touch and the work that I am excited to be contributing to in the coming months.
From the time my parents dropped me off at the airport in Atlanta through the first few weeks in Rwanda, I kept waiting for homesickness and anxious thoughts to arise, but now almost one month since my arrival, more than anything else I feel content where I am and excited for the months to come. Obviously, there are nerves that come with moving to another continent and starting a new job with new co-workers that double as the only people you know in a foreign country, but our Director of Communications, Sam, as well as the Shooting Touch Rwanda staff and coaches, have been so welcoming during this time of transition. From helping us navigate buses and motos, to sharing a meal, to taking a road trip to the Tanzanian border, we have met so many people ready and willing to share these new experiences with us.
Now a few weeks in, I am just as eager to be involved as I was on day one, and looking forward to the big and small moments to come, while (hopefully) improving my basketball skills along the way.
ABOUT LUCY MARRET
Lucy graduated from the University of Tennessee in May of 2023 where she was a member of the varsity women’s rowing team. She was also a member of the VOLeaders Academy that travelled to Rwanda in 2022 and partnered with Shooting Touch. After graduating with a bachelor’s in political science and minors in business and global studies, Lucy worked for the U.S. House of Representatives as a legislative correspondent for Tennessee’s 2nd district before joining Shooting Touch.