Basketball more than just a game to Mahoney

For those close to sports and deeply involved in them, the lessons the games teach and effect it has on the rest of their lives is what makes them worthwhile.
For 28-year-old Nikki Mahoney, basketball is helping get her involved with the United Nations and help her find a bigger relationship with a game she has had a bit of an up and down history with.
After breaking her ankle while playing professional basketball in Geneva, Switzerland, finding the silver lining in the situation has made it all worthwhile for her.
“Basketball isn’t my whole life by any means, but it’s been a huge factor throughout my life,” said Mahoney who has started using basketball as a vehicle for peace by starting a sports-based non-governmental organization. “As with any sport, if you allow it to teach you values that filter into all aspects of your life, then it’s going to mean a whole lot more to you. And depending on your situation, that can end up being a heck of a lot.”
In fact, her being in Europe stems from missing a flight to New York City, bringing good with what could have been a bad situation.
There was some bad at the start of this season when Mahoney, who studied in Japan while completing her bachelor’s degree in Japanese, fractured her ankle and was ruled out for the rest of the season. That forced her to move into a coaching role.
“I always look for the good in things, especially in ‘bad’ situations,” said Mahoney. “And had I not been injured, none of this other stuff would have come up. I wouldn’t have tried to find other avenues to be involved in sports internationally.
“As much as I hate being injured a lot of opportunities have developed out of it.”
Aside from the work worth the UN, Mahoney, who at nine was part of a team that won a national competition that got her name into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, found her way into coaching.
“It was never something that I’d had intentions of doing, it just sort of happened and it’s still happening,” said Mahoney, who has gone to the Peace and Sports International Forum in Monacco. “I’m not complaining though. I’m glad it ‘fell upon me’ as it has or else I’d probably be doing something – who knows what.
“But I love what I do. I’ll definitely always want to be coaching in some capacity.”
That hasn’t changed her mind on coming back to playing, though. And this experience may help her when she comes back to the court.
“The game looks completely different from a coach’s perspective, but it actually helps a lot when you go back on the court because you think and read the court differently,” said Mahoney said, who has coached at Generations for Peace in Amman, Jordan. “And I love helping kids and players develop their game. Especially the ones who have so much heart and want to get better.”
Things continue to build for Mahoney, who will also be a contributor with us On The Line Sports. And she will look to give her the international take on sports.

-Photos courtesy Nikki Mahoney

Note: This is the first in what we hope becomes a regular feature profiling athletes and those involved in sports of any kind. Want to be featured? Contact us by E-mailing Vaughan at vaughan.gartrelle@gmail.com.