WINNIPEG – Before the warm-up, before the workout comes the welcome.
Wheelchair basketball players gathered for a regular Tuesday practice at the University of Winnipeg’s Duckworth Centre start the night with introductions. It’s a necessary greeting for a group still growing.
“Not knowing, from week-to-week, who’s coming in is a challenge,” said Jarrett Yaworski, the head coach of Manitoba Wheelchair Basketball. “But it’s a welcomed challenge.”
Yaworski doesn’t mind since just two years ago, there was no wheelchair basketball team in Manitoba. The program fell apart following the 2011 Canada Winter Games.
“It’s hard to hear you can’t go back,” said Steve Hayward who plays on Team Manitoba. “There’s no opportunity to play otherwise. (It was) definitely a let down for sure.”
The sport has bounced back in a big way. The province will play next month in its first national wheelchair basketball championship since 2007. To get there, Manitoba’s coaches crammed for their certifications. It’s a process usually spanning four years but it only took them seven months to complete.
“Looking back, it was a huge step to take for Manitoba,” said Chantelle Horel, a player-coach with the provincial team. “But I think it’s all worked out in the end.”
Mainly, by breaking down barriers for those living with a disability.
“It’s an opportunity to be physically active,” said Samuel Unrau, President of the Manitoba Wheelchair Sport Association. “But most importantly, it’s the community. That helps you grow as an individual.”
Of course, every trip requires money. But due to a lack of funding, Manitoba needs help getting to the national wheelchair basketball championship in Kamloops, BC. The team has set up a GoFundMe page to collect cash.