A teacher from Richer School has returned home with incredible memories after competing in the DIBF (Deaf International Basketball Federation) 3×3 World Cup in Washington, D.C. 

Graham Bodnar, a member of the Canadian 3×3 Deaf National Basketball Team, played in the tournament from December 11 to 14. The event featured 19 teams from 15 countries, all vying for top honours on the international stage. 

The road to the tournament wasn’t without challenges. Originally scheduled for 2022 in Israel, the team had to withdraw after an injury to a teammate.

“It was quite disappointing to say the least, so you can imagine my excitement when I found out that we would have the opportunity to participate this time around,” Bodnar said. 

Preparation included months of individual training and a group training in Montreal in October. “As a team made up of four players from different provinces in Canada, we came together for one main training camp,” he explained. 

A tough start but progress made 

The Canadian team faced a difficult start. “We found ourselves in a pool with some excellent teams and due to our lack of time and experience together, we initially struggled to play with much chemistry in the first couple of days,” Bodnar said. 

Despite the challenges, the team showed resilience.

“After the very tough start in our pool play, we eventually started to play much better as a team and ended up finishing in 11th place out of 19 teams with wins over teams from Puerto Rico, Sweden, and Slovenia,” he said. 

Playing at this level was a unique experience. “Because it is a World Championship, these countries take a lot of pride in what place they finish in and as a result, there are truly no easy games and we understood we were getting the best effort from every team we faced,” he added. 

Highlights on and off the court 

Bodnar had some memorable moments, both during the competition and off the court. “An on the court highlight from the trip actually came at the very end,” he shared. “My coach let me know that I had finished second overall in scoring for the entire tournament that included 71 players. I’ll be honest that I didn’t feel like I had been playing very well, especially as our team struggled to win some of those earlier games, so it was a reassuring feeling to know that I had done a little bit better than I originally thought.” 

Off the court, Bodnar enjoyed connecting with athletes from around the world. “Because all of the teams were staying in the same hotel and eating all of our meals at the same place, there was a lot of time to interact with the players from the other teams,” he said. “It’s an amazing thing that despite being from different countries and living very different lives in a lot of ways, the game of basketball is the common experience that brings us together in that moment and allows us to build relationships that we most likely wouldn’t otherwise get the chance to do.” 

Bringing lessons home 

As Bodnar returns to work at Richer School, he continues to inspire students.

“The support from students and staff at our school continues to be awesome,” he said. “I definitely make a point of sharing the lessons that I’ve been so fortunate to learn over the years and continually encourage our students that they too should be aiming to set personal goals and pursue their passions.” 

Team Canada at the DIBF 3×3 World Cup in Washington, D.C. earlier this month. (Photos submitted) 

Looking forward to making history in Japan 

While there are no immediate plans for the 3×3 team, Bodnar is focusing on the Canadian 5-on-5 Deaf National Team, “which has a lot to get ready for in this upcoming year,” he said.

“Two years ago, we attended the Deaf Pan American Basketball Championships in Argentina, which SteinbachOnline reported on at that time. As a result of our finish at that tournament, our team qualified for what is known as the Deaflympics, the highest level they have in Deaf Sport, and we will attend the 25th Summer Deaflympics next November in Japan. This marks the first time that Canada has qualified in Men’s Basketball in 40 years, so we are extremely excited to be a part of it.”