Andi Qorrolli has discovered his superpower in basketball.
As the ball is passed hectically around him, the coaches shouting instructions from the sidelines and spectators clapping from the stands, the 19-year-old remains perfectly calm and composed.
“I’m always chilled. I am a master of patience. I never been nervous or angry.”
Nervousness, anger, frustration - Qorrolli showed none of these emotions when he played for the Kosovo team at the Regional West Balkans Unified 3x3 Basketball Tournament, which was held in Tirana, Albania from 1 to 3 December 2023.
True to his self-assessment, Qorrolli did not even get rattled when he managed to score in the final seconds of the match for third place against Shkoder, one of the four teams that represented hosts Albania.
“I scored in the last moment. It was nice,” he recalled. “First it was difficult to score, but then I warmed up and then I scored.”
That patience and self-control have served Qorrolli well ever since he started playing basketball at age 10. While his first trainings did not always yield the high scores he is used to now, the young athlete was not discouraged.
“I always went to the stadium. It’s very old. I get my ball. I always practise to score,” Qorrolli said. “I missed most of the time, but after playing more time, by practising, I scored.
“It was difficult, but it was worth it.”
Qorrolli has also tried other team sports, such as volleyball and football, and continues to play football with friends as a hobby. Basketball, however, has always been his first choice.
“I enjoy it very much. I always play basketball. I will not change it with other sports,” he said. “It makes me tall, better, healthier.”
While he can be found on the basketball court every evening, by day Qorrolli is a diligent student. He attends college classes and specialises in English language studies.
“I always liked it since the first school,” he said of choosing to study English. “And my teacher, she helped me to practise the language better to not mix it up.”
Qorrolli supplements his language learning by listening to foreign music and watching action movies. The Fast & Furious car racing saga is one of his favourites—and serves as inspiration for his nimble moves on the basketball court.
The Special Olympics Kosovo athlete also flexes his patience muscles by doing English crossword puzzles.
“My talent is that sometimes I play crosswords,” Qorrolli said. “It gives me patience, gives me the chill, [the ability to] find out the weak point.”
The tournament in Tirana was Qorrolli’s first time at an international competition. Curious about foreign languages and cultures, his main highlight from the event was meeting fellow young players from the three other countries represented: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia.
Qorrolli’s big dream is to travel even further, to English-speaking countries, where he hopes to practise his language skills while working as an assistant.
“I will go to all of them and visit all of them,” he promised.
