The inconvenience of an arm

"It was our school fair. Usually we have rides. The one we rode was called the fish coaster. We usually rode it every year; we didn’t think anything bad would happen. The people behind us shouted that it was slow. The operator adjusted the ride to make it faster. Then he left. It went out of control. I was with five friends when our seat was derailed."

In her own words, that is how Kathryn Tan recounts how she lost her left arm that Christmas season in 1996. She was nine years old.

"I felt bad. More so because it’s somebody you love," recalls her father, Rubin. "Actually, I resigned from my job to devote my time to her full-time.

Ironically, the loss of her arm was the turning point in Kat’s basketball career. It was when all of her passion came to the surface.

"I knew it only after the accident," Rubin remembers vividly. "She asked me for a basketball goal after we came back from the hospital, Christmas Eve of 1996. I was surprised. I went to all the malls, where I finally got a basketball goal. That was what she used as her rehab. She tried out again after she lost her arm."

"Before the accident, I tried out," the former member of De La Salle Zobel’s high school team reveals. "The coach said I was skinny and tiny. So people thought that I wouldn’t be back, especially after the accident. But I returned to the coach and asked if I could still play. He accepted me, despite everything."

Kat became a valuable member of her grade school and high school teams, also gaining attention not because of her disability, but more because of her passion. She started receiving awards, and getting terrific media mileage.

"I saw how determined she was to overcome this difficulty. When she joined the team, I saw her resolve that. Whatever happens, she’s going to make it. She started to receive a lot of awards. She helped win championships. She’s been on television and in magazines. Despite her difficulty, she has achieved something."

Two weeks ago, Kat and her Dad also got a big bonus. In line with its theme "Impossible Is Nothing," adidas Philippines held a contest for the most inspiring Philippine sports stories. The winner would be flown to the United States to meet and play with Dallas Mavericks All-Star Jerry Stackhouse, accompanied by the sports editors of the country’s top newspapers, and adidas Streetball champions from other countries. Kat’s story won over all. They flew to Dallas two weeks ago.

"The first time I met him (Stackhouse), I was so nervous," Kat remembers. "I didn’t know what to expect. He’s an NBA star, and I’m just a girl from the Philippines. I didn’t know what to expect. Meeting him, going to the US and also meeting Devin Harris. It was exciting."

It was also a surprise for Stackhouse, as Kat put on a one-handed show, driving past him and Harris, scoring on breakaway lay-ups and perimeter jumpers. It was an eye-opener for the veteran NBA guard.

"We love the NBA. She was exposed to the NBA and PBA games early. That was our environment at home," Rubin confirms.

Now, Kat is a freshman at the College of St. Benilde, trying to keep her grades up so she can try out for the varsity team. But she still plays out her passion, every single night, with her closest friends. Whatever else happens to her, there will be one constant in her life.

"Right now, I’m trying to concentrate on my studies, trying to be good at school. I’m not We just have fun playing basketball. Basketball is always going to be part of my life."

And Kathryn Tan will continue to inspire others along the way.