Arsalan Jamil (Computer Engineering `08) still remembers the moment he fell in love with basketball. He was a kid visiting the library inside the Malvern Community Centre in Scarborough, Ont., when he wandered down the hall and found a gym.
He didn’t know the rules. He just picked up a ball and tried to dunk. People laughed, but that moment marked the start of his basketball journey.
Now Jamil is the head coach of Club Frayles de Guasave in Mexico's CIBACOPA league, a professional basketball circuit. Along the way, he’s coached with Giants of Africa, served as an assistant coach with the Raptors 905, returned to TMU as an assistant coach for the men’s basketball team and supported South Asian athletes through the Brown Ballers.
Finding belonging
Moving from Pakistan to Canada as a high school student wasn’t easy. A new country, a new culture, and bullying made those early years tough.
Basketball helped.
“Growing up, sports was always my happy place. Basketball helped me make friends and it became my identity,” says Jamil. “When I arrived at TMU, I started to make friends again and found my way to the Recreation and Athletic Centre, where I spent a lot of my time.”
While studying computer engineering, Jamil tried out for the TMU men’s basketball team every year. He earned a spot in his final year.
“I wasn’t the tallest or the most naturally talented, but I knew I could outwork people and that mentality has stayed with me to this day,” he says. “It’s something I bring to every program I’m part of.”
That mindset later inspired his brand and mantra: Goals Over Temptations.
Coming full circle
Coaching at TMU has been a full-circle and emotional experience for Jamil.
After practices, walking through campus brings back memories of his time as a student.
He credits his time at TMU with helping him find himself.
“I think the biggest challenge I had growing up was feeling comfortable in my own skin. TMU really helped me with that,” says Jamil. “TMU is a special place for me. I’m really proud of where I come from, and when I look back, I’m proud that I went to TMU and what it did for me. Those years were some of the best of my life, growing up and learning how to be myself.”
Looking back, he also points to his parents for laying the foundation for his journey.
“My parents always supported me. They wanted to make sure I had a good education and in many ways, they left their livelihoods back home to come here and start from scratch,” says Jamil.
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