Nationwide — Meet Baileigh Sinaman-Daniel, a 22-year-old African American basketball participant at Lesley College, who has made historical past as the primary NCAA Division III ladies’s basketball participant with one arm to attain in a collegiate recreation.
Baileigh, born with one arm, confronted many challenges rising up, particularly in basketball — a sport she liked because of her childhood idol, LeBron James. Her greatest setback got here in highschool when her coach lower her from the crew in her senior 12 months. As an alternative of giving up, she used the rejection as motivation, reaching out to a whole bunch of faculty coaches searching for a chance.
After spending two years at Warren Wilson Faculty, Baileigh transferred to Lesley College. Her perseverance paid off when she made her first collegiate basket — a protracted shot close to the three-point line that swished by means of the web.
“I sort of simply shot the ball with the anticipation that I must go and get it again on a rebound,” Sinaman-Daniel instructed 11 Alive. “When the shot really went in, I used to be extra so shocked.”
Her coach, Martin Quite, instantly known as a timeout to rejoice the achievement, marking the second in historical past.
Baileigh’s success on the court docket hasn’t come simply. She needed to develop distinctive strategies to adapt to taking part in with one arm, adjusting her capturing and ball-handling abilities. Her dedication has made her one of many hardest-working gamers on the crew, serving to Lesley attain the playoffs for the primary time in 14 years.
As she continues to make historical past on the court docket, she hopes her journey will encourage others to pursue their desires, irrespective of the obstacles.
“When individuals have a look at me, I simply hope they see me as Baileigh. I hope they see me as a basketball participant and likewise see me as anyone who’s keen and capable of do all the things that everyone else is doing,” Sinaman-Daniel stated.
