Wheelchair Basketball Fundraiser Raises $80K

Wheelchair basketball is a sport that originated just after the Second World War. There were many soldiers who, due to medical advances, came home without the use of their arms and legs. These veterans wanted to be able to remain active and so they began playing basketball and bowling from their wheelchairs. Today people in wheelchairs participate in almost every type of sport imaginable.
This week the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM) held a fundraising event that pitted former NBA, hockey, and football players against the RIM wheelchair basketball team.

Former players from the Detroit Redwings, Detroit Lions, and the Detroit Pistons teamed up to compete against the Detroit Diehards, which is a well known team of players from the RIM. All told more than eighty thousand was brought in. These funds will be used to help allow other people who are mobility challenged play and compete in recreational activities.

The RIM is well known across the world and has been helping people recover from serious injuries for over fifty years. People from all over the country, come to receive rehabilitation for spinal cord injuries, strokes, cerebral palsy, and other medical problems. Currently they treat and help almost 150,000 people every year.

Paralympics: A Beautiful Ending

The 2008 Paralympics ended yesterday with quite literally a letter to the future. Amidst fireworks and many performers, the athletes who attended the Paralympic Games felt a strong sense of unity and accomplishment.

A very colorful envelope was displayed on the field, symbolizing how the actions taken at the 2008 Paralympics where helping to shape the World and a testament to the strength of character present in all of the athletes that competed at the games. Red leaves from Fragrant Hill, which is a well known park in Beijing, were showered onto the participants to symbolize all of the goodwill of the Chinese to the athletes that were participating.

In addition to the “Letter to the Future,” performers from London and China joined together in a performance that mimicked planting seeds in the stadium and then watering these seeds with a river of water that was made up of 100 women. The women flowed onto the field and symbolized the importance of the games.

To the pounding of very spirited music, acrobatic performers and dancers took the field and wrote the last chapter of a very powerful experience for the Chinese people and mobility challenged people all over the world.

With the conclusion of the games, China was the big medal winner with a total of 211 medals. Among China’s medals were 89 gold medals. Great Britain was next with 102 total medals and the United States was close on their heels with 99. The United States athletes brought home 36 Gold Medals.

Paralympics: Women’s Wheelchair Basketball

The 2008 Paralympics began on September 6th and are set to wrap up next Wednesday on the 17th. Athletes from around the world have come together in Beijing to compete. So far China is one of the leaders with over 100 Gold Medals thus far, but people from all around the world are winning big, including many from the United States.

There are many heroes at this year’s Paralympics and among them are the United States Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team. As they took the court on Tuesday, they were facing the Australian team, which defeated them at the last Paralympics.

By halftime, the U.S. Team had a ten point lead and they continued their aggressive push during the second half. In order to keep up momentum and tire out their opponents the head coach of the team, Ron Lykins, generously rotated players on and off the court.

Jennifer Ruddell, from Georgia, and Stephanie Wheeler, from North Carolina, lead the team in points with 18 and 11 points respectively. The United States team defeated Australia 61 to 42.

While this was a big achievement and added another chapter to the rivalry between the U.S. Team and the Australian Team, this was only a preliminary round of the tournament. The next night, the United States team continued their aggressive push and defeated the Brazilian team 68 to 38. After defeating the Brazilian Team on Wednesday the United States team has announced to the quarterfinals which are set to take place on Friday.

It is not only the United States Basketball team that is making waves. So far the United States has received a total of 56 medals including 23 gold’s.

US Athletes Head to the Paralympics

As the Paralympics Torch Relay raps up and the games begin tomorrow, many eyes are on the East. The Torch Relay was split up into two different paths, the Modern Relay and the Ancient Relay. The Modern China Relay returned to Beijing on Wednesday and the Ancient China Relay returned on Thursday.

With the conclusion of the Torch Relay, many athletes begin their final preparations for the Games, which will be the biggest Paralympics in history. About 4,000 athletes are set to attend from almost 150 different countries.

From the United States, Jennifer Armbruster has been given the honor of carrying the flag. Jennifer is an accomplished athlete, who gave up a scholarship to play college basketball after she began to loose her vision. One year later, in 1990, she began playing goalball.

Goalball is a sport that originated in Europe in 1946. It was geared towards progressing the rehabilitation of World War II veterans who had limited or no eyesight. An 18 meter by 9 meter playing court is used, which has two goals on either side. Three man teams guard the goal and attempt to throw a ball through their opponent’s goal. The ball has a bell inside and the players have 10 seconds to throw or pass the ball.

Armbruster is part of the 213 person US team and is very excited to be given the honor of carrying the flag.

Also on the US team are sixteen military veterans. Two of the Veterans, including Scott Winkler and Melissa Stockwell, were wounded in Iraq and are very excited about the opportunity to compete.

Stockwell is a fighter who never gave up. In the first four months of recovery, she raced in a New York City Marathon and went snow skiing. Within a year she was swimming. She will swim the 400 meter freestyle, 100 meter free style, and the 100 meter butterfly.

Another veteran, Carlos Leon, was a Marine and served in Iraq during 2004 and 2005. He broke his neck while swimming in Hawaii and lost much of his motor function. Leon, who credits his family and friends with helping him during this hard time, never gave up. He attended a Paralympics sports camp and after seeing another veteran swimming, wanted to give it a try. He also saw some of the track and field events demonstrated. Soon Leon was competing and winning shot put and discus events around the country.

All of the athletes that attend the Paralympics are true heroes. Their motivation in the face of adversity is truly inspirational. We extend our whole hearted support to all of the athletes from the United States and all over the World, who are coming together to compete in this historical event.