Wheelchair basketball players, coaches to compete in paralympics
Released: May 05, 2008
One of the greatest honors for an athlete is to represent his or her country in the Olympics. This September, 13 UW-Whitewater wheelchair basketball players and coaches, will represent the USA, Israel and Germany in the Summer Paralympics held in Beijing, China.
“It's an honor for anyone to be considered to be part of this team in any capacity - player, coach or manager,” said UW-Whitewater wheelchair basketball Head Coach Tracy Chynoweth. “Our program at UW-Whitewater is happy to have several of its members take part in the Paralympics, not only for the USA, but we have a player that will be with Israel and another that will play for Germany.”
Of the 13 UW-Whitewater participants headed to Beijing, six are alumni and seven are current players and coaches, but all are part of the storied tradition of excellence that the wheelchair basketball team has produced.
“I think that having such a large contingent of Warhawks selected for spots on national teams speaks volumes about the prestige of our program, but also about the work ethic that is present on our campus,” said Chynoweth.
A large part of the success of the wheelchair basketball team at UW-Whitewater lies in the bonds that the players form with each other and their coaches.
“Not only do I get to represent my country, I get to do it with my closest friends and teammates. I am so excited to be able to play on the world's biggest stage,” said Joe Chambers, UW-Whitewater wheelchair basketball member. “As a kid I dreamt about playing in the Olympics and now I am living my dream. I can honestly say that this is going to be one of the best experiences of my life and I can’t wait to get to Beijing.”
The 2008 Paralympic Games begin Sept. 6 and continue through Sept. 17. For more information, visit http://en.beijing2008.cn/paralympic.
- Kyle Kopplin,kopplinka01@uww.edu
