A basketball on the Huskies logo of the Huron Heights Secondary School’s school basketball court, taken on Monday November 25, 2024. Photo by Anashe Mapuranga/Spoke Online
Growing up, Nyasha Mombeshara tried a variety of sports before sticking to basketball.
Mombeshara’s hardwood experience first began when her mother Lorraine signed her up for house league basketball in Lowell, Massachusetts in 2005. After that experience, a love for the game that would dominate her life for over a decade of her life.
“I fell in love with the team aspect, the fast-paced dynamics of the game, and most importantly” she said. “I met some of my closest friends on the court; friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Mombeshara played high school basketball at Grand River Collegiate Institute, before playing collegiate basketball on scholarship at the University of Guelph from 2016 to 2020, while studying Bio-Medical Science.
Mombeshara said she first fell in love with basketball when she was eight years old watching the Boston Celtics big three: Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce. However, she said that the black athlete that inspired her was tennis player Serena Williams.
“I loved watching her dominate on the tennis court. Her work ethic, intensity, and passion fueled my own desire to compete at a high level. Every time I stepped on the court, I aimed to bring the same energy, passion, and work ethic.”
Mombeshara noted how while she never experienced or witnessed any blatant racism during her sports career, she noticed plenty of microaggressions; while subtle and unintentional, can lead to emotional impact on the recipient.
“Every time I changed my hairstyle, some of my teammates would touch my hair without consent. Or the teammate who had an odd obsession with pinching my nose. Both instances were annoying and uncomfortable, to say the least.” She continued “While these acts may seem harmless to some, they can still make someone feel bothered and disrespected.”
Asked if she believed there was a colour barrier within the Waterloo Region, Mombeshara didn’t believe so saying “I think the Waterloo Region has done a great job of making sports accessible and inclusive for all. But there is always room for improvement. There is so much talent here, but some of that goes to waste simply because some kids don’t have the resources to compete at the high level.”
Nyasha’s mother Lorriane agreed with this sentiment. She said “I think minds and attitudes have shifted from times past. Diversity is now so ingrained in Canadian culture that one is rarely singled out based on race. The rare exception is that of ice hockey.”
Lorriane also didn’t recall any moments Nyasha experienced that were obvious hostility based on her race.
Regarding what can be done for sports to be more inclusive and diverse across all races in the region Lorraine said “Alleviating any economic barriers that may limit exposure to some sports i.e. ice hockey. Many immigrants shy away from such sports due to financial limitations.”
Nyasha’s sentiment on the matter was geared towards support within the community.
Mombeshara said she hoped for more community support and donations, municipal/provincial scholarships for young athletes to join competitive teams, and safe and accessible carpool programs.
