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Wheel-Power: a new driving force for wheelchair basketball

By Loh Jing Hong and Vivian Siah

Wheelchair basketball is everything like regular basketball – the adrenalin, sports intensity, excitement and competitiveness. And thanks to ‘WheelPower’, even more people with disabilities can have a taste of the competitive sport now.

Set up in 2006 by a team of enthusiastic individuals, ‘WheelPower’ is a sports club in Ngee Ann Polytechnic that is driven by a simple motivation - to allow the physically challenged to have a taste of sports and lead an active lifestyle, and promote interaction between both physically challenged and able-bodied individuals.

Membership is currently open to all members of Ngee Ann Polytechnic. The club is planning to organize outreach programmes to bring basketball to the communities after the members are trained.

The club has almost 50 members now, with its recruitment drives attracting more people to its following every time. The WheelPower team trains weekly, with wheelchairs sponsored by Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI). JCCI has pledged S$45,000 to SDSC to promote wheelchair basketball in Singapore this year, following the success of the Boccia outreach in 2006. WheelPower is one of the firsts to benefit from JCCI’s support.

Basketball is the first sport on wheelchairs that the club is offering its members. Besides playing the game, members also have a hand at coaching fellow members. On top of this, the club is currently planning on expanding the variety of sports it offers to include sports such as dancing.

Wheelchair basketball around the world
Wheelchair basketball is widely played in countries around the world. Even at international junior wheelchair basketball events, an audience of up to 1500 can be expected. Of the different disability sports, wheelchair basketball is one of the few that receives much media attention and enjoys immense popularity.

With ten fast wheelchairs moving in the small play area, it is crucial to ensure the safety of the players. For example, once a defender falls from the wheelchair, the play is immediately stopped. Shooters are also not allowed to use their feet to push their wheelchair back when taking their aims.

Players are disallowed from using wheelchairs with tyres that form markings on the court. As an additional safety measure, they are permitted to secure straps to ensure that they may not accidentally fall off the wheelchair. Other similar rules applicable to regular basketball regarding space and territorial invasion also apply to wheelchair basketball.

You can lend your support to efforts in expanding this sport by contacting members of WheelPower. Interested parties can contact at or visit their website: http://www.ngeeann.biz/sdar/CCA/cca_popup/WheelPower.html for more information!

Beginning in September 2007, WheelPower and other avid wheelchair basketballers from associations such as the Handicapped Welfare Association will be up against each other in the 1st Wheelchair Basketball League in Singapore. If you’d like to join the league or simply come and cheer, email or call 6342 3504.

This initiative was made possible with the kind support of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI)

References:
Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Association. (2003, September). Points of Emphasis: The Rules. Rebound, 40. Retrieved June 19, 2007, from http://www.gmwba.org.uk

Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Association. (2005, December). Rebound, 42. Retrieved June 19, 2007, from http://www.gmwba.org.uk

National Wheelchair Basketball Association. (2005, July). History of Wheelchair basketball. Retrieved June 15, 2007, from http://www.nwba.org

WheelPower. (2006). Wheel Power. Retrieved June 15, 2007, from http://www.ngeeann.biz/sdar/CCA/cca_popup/WheelPower.html

Singapore Disability Sports Council

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Wheel-Power: a new driving force for wheelchair basketball