Players come from all across Ottawa to practice wheelchair basketball in Immaculata High School’s gymnasium every Monday.
Wheelchair basketball is gearing up for one of its most important events and Canada is now ready to be a major player.
Wheelchair Basketball Canada recently announced the rosters for both the men’s and women’s national teams that will hit the court at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, England.
The tournament will give many people their first extended look at the sport, says Courtney Pollock, the communications co-ordinator for Wheelchair Basketball Canada.
“Building awareness for the sport and our athletes is something we do with longevity in mind. The Paralympic Games is definitely the greatest tool to help us do that.”
Local teams are also doing their part to raise the profile of the sport, which combines all the skills of stand-up basketball with the added challenge of executing them from a wheelchair.
“It can be really frustrating when you first start playing,” says Christina Swett, of the Ottawa Royals, the city’s premier wheelchair basketball co-ed team. “For people who come from playing stand-up basketball, that first shot is usually an air ball. They don’t realize how difficult it is to shoot with no help from your legs.”
Players from across the city practice every Monday night at Immaculata Catholic High School to help eliminate those types of shots.
With three competitive teams in the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball League, Ottawa provides many opportunities for disabled players to get in on the action.
A “die-hard” basketball fan since his childhood, Ryan Lovie has been playing the sport for two years.
Lovie says he is still learning every time he hits the court with the Ottawa Jazz, who also compete as a co-ed team in the CWBL.
“The chair skills definitely take some time,” he says. “It’s tough because you know where you want to be, but it takes so much effort to actually get the chair to that spot.”
The Royals and Jazz are joined by the Ottawa Phoenix, a women’s team led by Swett as head coach.
The team is in its first year of competition after being revived due to a growing interest from female players. After the club realized it had more female players than males, Swett said it was a “no-brainer” to make a women’s team.
The previous edition of the Phoenix was forced to fold in 2001, after the majority of the team decided to retire. Without the players to step in and fill the roster, there was no choice but to stop operations.
Swett admits that things will be difficult as the team attempts to “rebuild” with an entirely new squad.
Regardless, she says the enthusiasm of her players makes it all worthwhile, even if the results on the court have not been great so far. The team is winless this season.
“The majority of our players travel from over an hour away just to come and practice, so seeing that sort of dedication is very exciting.”
That commitment is evident on the hardwood at Immaculata.
Wheelchairs crashing into one another signify the intensity on display, as do the cheers that echo throughout the empty school after each basket.
With the Paralympics just around the corner, Pollock says the time is now for people to take notice and help soften that echo.
For Lovie, increased exposure would be a step in the right direction that will benefit both current athletes along with the next generation of players.
“I wish I could watch disabled sports as much as I can watch able-bodied sports,” says Lovie. “As a disabled athlete, I would love to have a role model out there to see every week that I could idolize and mold my game after.”