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Not for the Faint of Heart
Friday, May 1, 2009 - 12:00am
Outsiders often do not understand the intensity and dedication needed to succeed in the competitive world of wheelchair basketball.
View ForumIt's not just a game of tossing the ball from one person to the next. Just ask the NBA players who have tried it.
After receiving a scholarship to play basketball at USC, Joe Chambers (#55) lost a leg to cancer. He experienced an amazing fan base at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, which beat the University of Illinois this year to win the intercollegiate title. In the thumbnail page above is Alana Nichols, a member of the University of Alabama women's national championship team.
"Don't come in there acting nice, feeling sorry; you better be in shape. You better be ready, and you better have your game tight," said Weber. "I learned it's very physical. When the chairs start hitting up against your arms or when you can't move—looking stupid—passing and double dribbling. It's a very physical game."
To organize the sport, the NWBA was founded in 1948 as the governing body of wheelchair basketball in the United States. Comprised of 181 teams within 22 conferences, the NWBA consists of men's, women's, intercollegiate, and youth teams (see "Hoop it Up," this issue).
Love of the Game
Alana Nichols and Joe Chambers recognize how wheelchair basketball has changed their lives.
Nichols (Farmington, N.M.) broke her back during her senior year of high school while attempting a snowboarding flip.
"Sport has done a great deal for me in my rehabilitation back into life," says Nichols. "Being competitive again and getting back into the environment that promotes being successful really motivated me."
During his senior year of high school, Chambers (Davis, Calif.) had already committed to play basketball at the University of Southern California (USC) on scholarship the next fall when he learned he had cancer in his left knee. After several surgeries and chemotherapy were unable to remedy the problem, doctors amputated his leg.
"The day I first sat in the wheelchair and knew I was going to be able to play basketball again is my greatest memory," says Chambers. "This game has truly saved my life."
One thing that remains consistent is that athletes want to give back to the sport that has given them so much. After his playing days are over, Chambers hopes to start a nonprofit organization that works with children with physical disabilities to expose them to the sport and to raise people's awareness.
Read the stories of other athletes, including Jennifer Ruddell and Jennifer Chew.
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