Leaders of Unites #115 - Qimaira de boeve
'When I was younger, I spent a lot of time at my grandmother’s house'
My name is Qimaira de Boeve, I’m 17 years old and I live in Almere - the city where I was born and raised. When I was younger, I spent a lot of time at my grandmother’s house. My parents worked long hours, so after school I would often go to her place. She lived just two minutes from school, which was perfect.
When I wasn’t with my grandma, I was outside. I spent hours playing with kids from the neighborhood. I had a close friend I saw every day. We’d go for walks, play football, hide-and-seek or tag. Life is busier now, but we still keep in touch.
For many years, I also took hip-hop dance classes, from age seven to fifteen. Our dance school was right next to basketball club 24/8. Every time I passed the gym, I’d think: that looks fun, I want to try that.
I had played basketball once during a school tournament. I didn’t fully understand the rules, but I managed to score a few points. So I thought I was pretty good, haha. Eventually, a friend and I just walked into the club and asked if we could join a training session.
After my very first practice at 24/8, I realized I wasn’t quite as good as I thought, but I really enjoyed it. I quickly got to know new people and felt instantly welcome. The club felt like a second family.
I was a member for two years, but five months ago I decided to take a break to focus on my studies. I still have two years to go to become an interior design consultant. It’s not necessarily difficult, but it is a lot of work. After this, I hope to continue with a degree in real estate.
I was immediately interested to the 3X3 Leader Course
As soon as I can, I plan to rejoin 24/8. It’s also where I first heard about 3X3 Unites. One day during training, we were introduced to the 3X3 Leader Course. I was immediately interested. I wanted to learn more about basketball, coaching, and meeting new people.
A few teammates and I enrolled in the course together. I learned how to connect with others, coach in a positive way, and show leadership. One assignment, for example, was to create a game and make sure everything ran smoothly and everyone had a role. That was really fun.
Toward the end of the course, we had to organize our own event. That was more challenging for me. I’d never done anything like it before. I’ll admit, the day didn’t go perfectly, but with the help of a few experienced 3X3 Leaders who guided us, we managed to pull it off.
Looking back, it was a great experience and I learned a lot. I know now what I’d do differently next time. For example, we should have communicated the game schedule more clearly to the participating teams. That would’ve helped them plan better.
At first, I thought you had to be really good at basketball to join the 3X3 Leader Course, but that’s not true at all. You develop a wide range of skills through 3x3 basketball, and you can use those both on and off the court. Now that I’ve completed the course, I would definitely recommend it to others.
In the summer, I try to play three times a week on the court in my neighborhood
Even though I’m not currently part of a club, I still play regularly on the local court in my neighborhood. Especially in summer, I try to play three times a week. Usually I go with a friend who also loves the game. But honestly, it doesn’t matter who’s there. Anyone can join.
That’s what I love about street basketball: everyone is welcome. It’s so accessible. At a club, you need to be a member and pay fees. On the court, you just show up whenever you feel like playing. And it’s free.
Depending on how many people are there, we play 5 vs 5 or 3x3. Personally, I prefer 5 vs 5. I get tired quickly when playing 3x3. It’s more intense and there’s less time to rest. But I enjoy both. The most important thing is just being able to play and have fun.
My grandmother still lives in the same place. I don’t see her every day anymore, but I try to call or visit at least once a week.