Bassant, a college volleyball player, lives in Egypt.
Bassant: Currently, I am playing volleyball on the university team and at a youth center at the amateur level, and I am happy with that.
Muhammad: Volleyball is a wonderful sport. What position do you play?
Bassant: I play in the libero position.
Muhammad: It’s a challenging position requiring much effort and energy.
Bassant: You have to be active in this position because it’s like the team’s heart; if it stops beating, the team will fall. I’m not saying that because I play in this position, but from watching and experience.
Muhammad: Yes, this is true without a doubt, and that’s one of the reasons for its difficulty, not to mention the technical pressures that the player in that position is subject to. So, what are your current motivations for practicing sports?
Bassant: My need to practice sports resulted from my psychological and physical needs. Psychologically, I needed to play this sport because I always felt that some underestimated me and thought I could not achieve anything, so I played this game to prove them wrong. Physically, I needed to exercise in general, as my muscles were weak and my weight was not good. So, it is good to exercise for your health and yourself.
Muhammad: As the adage states, a sound mind is a sound body. Regarding the importance of exercising for physical health, did you encounter any challenges when you began participating in this sport?
Bassant: Yes, I initially suffered from severe physical fatigue due to the effort expended in training. My muscles were weak, which made things worse. But after about two months, I got used to it.
Muhammad: We know that injuries are an integral part of sports, but we can certainly avoid serious injuries or reduce them as much as possible. Do you have any advice for athletes starting their careers or even children practicing sports?
Bassant: Yes, of course. I can share these tips.
–Don’t do everything you see.
–Choose shoes that fit your size and suit the ground you play on.
–Avoid playing on bad fields as much as possible, and have a first aid kit available.
–If you are injured, choose a good doctor so you do not find yourself in a worse situation.
Muhammad: I agree with you, and I add that it is good for athletes to read books on the basics of anatomy because players need to understand their bodies well.
It was an absolute pleasure for me to do this interview. Thank you, Bassant!
