« Doing this double course is something that makes me love it. “Bathiste Tchouaffé, the back of Boulazac Basket Dordogne, is one of those top athletes who do not live solely around their sport.
In 2020, the 23-year-old joined Sciences Po Paris. At the BBD, others are trained in another profession. Nicolas de Jong, 33, hopes to become a neuropsychologist. Paul Billong, 20, is studying…
« Doing this double course is something that makes me love it. “Bathiste Tchouaffé, the back of Boulazac Basket Dordogne, is one of those top athletes who do not live solely around their sport.
In 2020, the 23-year-old joined Sciences Po Paris. At the BBD, others are trained in another profession. Nicolas de Jong, 33, hopes to become a neuropsychologist. Paul Billong, 20, is a third-year student at a business school in Paris.
“The idea came to me during the first confinement, poses Tchouaffé. Basketball is my passion, my job, but I wanted to cultivate myself, follow a training that will take me to post-career. When I was taken to Sciences Po, it was as if I had won a trophy! »
His sidekick Billong also hoped to feed on something other than orange ball. “I appreciate not being focused only on basketball. It allows me to escape, I like to learn new things. It is important to progress in life, in aspects that basketball cannot provide. »
“When I was taken to Science Po Paris, it was as if I had won a trophy”
“Intellectually, it makes me confident on certain discussions, resumes Tchouaffé. In addition there is soon the presidential election. It’s the first time I’m going to vote so it’s important for me to fully understand the issues. »
BBD – Tours
After two postponements, the match between Boulazac and Tours has been rescheduled. The Périgourdins will receive the Tourangeaux on Wednesday February 2, at 8 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Agora, the Palio being occupied by the French badminton championships.
When he was younger, Tchouaffé favored high-level sport, passing a pro commerce baccalaureate while he was at Insep. This sector left him more time to devote himself to his sporting career. “I had maximized my basketball chances. Billong didn’t know he was going to “become a top athlete. I already had an idea of what I wanted to do. I passed an ES baccalaureate [NDLR : économique et social], in the first two years, I touched on several areas and I specialize. »
Remote work
Studying and playing in Pro B obviously requires a good dose. “I have a good volume of lessons but the teachers adapt to our schedules, and I am grateful to them, smiles Tchouaffé. On this point, mentalities are changing. And as soon as there is a problem, we can exchange in video. »
Billong details his day, perfectly calibrated. “After morning training, I go home to eat, I take a short nap and I continue my lessons until 4:30 p.m. and afternoon training. Then I work in the evening if necessary and if I’m not too tired. And during the trips required by the Pro B championship? “I sometimes work on the move, in the bus, but I try to anticipate to avoid it, it’s not easy. »
What’s next? Tchouaffé wants to “finish my license and then we will see, the master would be the logical continuation”. The rear has already targeted the branch he would like. “I’m quite passionate about fashion, clothes. And my generation is going to be a major player in ecological change. So, I would like to integrate a brand that will invest in that. Paul Billong has an idea that “is becoming clearer. I have a target around finance, I would like to work in this area. I have a post-basketball idea. But first, we have to beat Saint-Chamond, Saturday January 22.
