Ability Awareness Programs

Public & Private Schools Demos and Half-time Presentations.

Taken from The Virginian Pilot's The Sun Feb 24,2000
Written by Phyllis Speidell

    Four members of Sun Wheelers, Inc., a Virginia Beach--based organization of wheelchair athletes, rolled onto the Lakeland High School basketball court to the cheers of students packing the bleachers for a disabilites awareness assembly.
     The Sun Wheelers, along with half a dozen students and faculty members temporarily confined to wheeelchairs, divided into two teams for an exhibition game with two 10-minute halves--and a few special rules.  In wheelchair basketball, players must dribble the ball once after each two pushes of their chairs and are penalized for fouls against player and wheelchairs.
      With both teams in wheelchairs, it was difficult to pick out the disabled players--until the game started.  Jody Shiflett, a 34-year-old Sun WHeeler and paraplegic, cut and weaved his way through the other player, snagged a behind-the-chair pass from Sun Wheeler George Holsher, pivoted and hit a perfect, all-net shot.
     While the Sun Wheelers were zipping around the floor, Lakeland junior Alex F. Johnson struggled to control the ball while rolling his unfamiliar chair down the court.
   "It was hard to maneuver the chair.  The shooting angle was different, and you needed to shoot with more force," Johnson said.
   Lauren Odom, a senior and Lakeland girl's varsity basketball player, fell into the dribblling rhythm with an assist from a Sun Wheeler who laughingly pushed her chair while she dribbled.
   Shooting was another obstacle.
   "We are told to shoot from our legs, but in the chair you have to shoot from your arms," she said.
   At the midway point of the half, Odom gave into frustration, jumped from the chair to shoot and finally scored to the laughter and cheers of the crowd.
   The score remained close throughout the game with the visiting team up by one in the closing seconds.
   Reaching high above his chair, Johnson grabbed a Sun Wheeler pass, took aim and scored the winning basket for the home team.
   "This was a great experience," he said after the game.  "I have seen wheelchair basketball on TV, and when I knew they were coming here I said, 'I would love to play with them.'"
   "I have learned to look at people in wheelchairs a little differently," Odom said.  "Today, I learned they they are capable of doing the same things we can do."

* These programs are performed at area private & public schools and halftime events.  Because of the popularity and frequency of these events, the organization asks for contributions to off-set the cost of production.  Contributions from the schools and any other proceeds raised by the event benefit Sun Wheeler Sports and it's adaptive sports  programs.  Thank you for making this program such a success.