Charlie Wilks
You have to watch this video. This kid truly is amazing. Charlie Wilks is a football player, who happens to also be blind. Charlie is truly wise beyond his years, and watching this video will definitely make you appreciate his great attitude.
I think it's great the way his teammates have adapted the way they play to assist him, and make it possible for him to be competitive. Football is a team sport, and without such great teammates and coaches it would really be impossible for him to be able to do what he does.
Wounded Warriors Hoop it up in Georgia
A group of soldiers from the Wounded Warrior Project participated in a game of wheelchair basketball against a group of Sergeants. The group of athletes are a part of the Warrior Transition Battalion, which is an organization that was found with the purpose of improving the quality of life and facilitating the rehabilitation of wounded warriors. Participating in events like wheelchair basketball is a key part to any rehabilitation effort, it's a great way for newly injured people to meet other people with disabilities, and realize that you can be athletic and competitive regardless of a disability or not.
Books, Books, Books!
From time to time I will be passing on various books that I think are relevant to the readers of this site. Today I have two books to recommend. The first is Gimp [$14] by Mark Zupan. For anyone that has seen the film Murderball you will remember Mark Zupan. This book provides the story of how Mark was injured, and his attitude towards having a disability. This book does a great job at addressing one of my favorite topics; how one can take a bad situation, and turn it into something really good.
Another book recommendation after the jump!
Illini Win Big
The University of Illinois Men's and Women's wheelchair basketball teams both started their seasons off this weekend, and both went undefeated. The Men won all 4 of their games by an average of 50 points, defeating the RHI Pacers 98-45, the Milwaukee Wheelchair Bucks 96-51, the Chicago Wheelchair Bulls 82-33, and the Rockford Chariots 69-17.
The Women won both of their games against the Chicago Sky by an average of 28 points (54-24 and 51-24).
Wheelchair Backflip
I'm sure that most people who are reading this site have seen this video before, but on the off-chance you haven't - this is worth posting. This video was originally posted about three years ago, but is still one of the coolest things I've ever seen someone in a wheelchair do. Aaron Fotheringham landed his first backflip in July 2006 at age 14. Check out the video.
Shocker: Amputee Runners Don’t Have Advantage vs. Able-Body Runners
Remember Oscar Pistorius? He was in the spotlight before the Beijing Olympics when the decision was made to prevent him from competing against able-body runners because the The International Association of Athletics Federations determined that his prosthetic legs put him at a significant advantage over able-body runners. That decision was overturned in April 2008 based on the findings of a US research team which found that Pistorius was actually not at an advantage.
Weekend Roundup: Wheelchair Basketball Tournaments
It's that time of the year again - basketball season! Many teams will be kicking off their season this weekend and if you have never seen a wheelchair basketball game I would recommend checking out the tournaments below to see if there are any in your area. For more information on teams, rules, and other wheelchair basketball news check out nwba.org. Tournament information after the jump!
Nike Wheelchair Basketball Commercial
Another great commercial featuring USA wheelchair basketball player Matt Scott. Almost makes us want to get off the couch and go workout... almost.
Former Paralympian Climbs a Huge Rock
Or Mount Kilimanjaro if you want to be specific. Chris Waddell became the first paraplegic to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. At 19,340 feet, Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain peak in Africa. Accompanied by his doctor, trainer, camera crew and guides Chris was able to make it to the top using nothing but a mountain climbing wheelchair called a Bomba (Swahili for “cooler than cool”)and bruit strength. Congratulations Chris for an amazing feat.
Wheelchair Basketball team smokes UWF Varsity Squad 103-25
The Mobile Patriots participated in a fund raising event at the University of West Florida. The Patriots competed against players of the UWF men’s and women’s basketball teams, greek organizations, faculty, staff and the Business Leadership Network.
These events are great opportunities for wheelchair athletes to showcase their skills, and for able bodied people to gain some respect for the level of athleticism required to play a wheelchair sport. I know we used to participate in these events quite a bit playing at the University of Illinois, and everyone was always entertained, and gained a new respect for wheelchair sports.
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