THE MADNESS is COMING BACK TO THE COURT in 2023!
WITH A NEW NAME…
A little history…
August Madness has been the annual wheelchair basketball tournament fundraiser benefitting Bridge II Sports, a North Carolina non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization since 2011. This unique tournament is a way for ALL people to play together and support an incredible organization.
Bridge II Sports creates opportunities for youth, adults and Veterans with physical disabilities to ‘Find The Player Within’ through the power of adapted sports. Sport empowers and changes lives on and off the court and challenges perceptions of disability in our community.
The tournament, played on the floor of the PNC Arena, has hosted 75 community/corporate teams made up of hundreds of able-bodied players and players with physical disabilities all playing in sport wheelchairs together. The tournament spreads awareness of the competitiveness of adapted sports and breaks down stereotypes about disability.
During the COVID-19 pandemic August Madness morphed into Virtual Madness with a seated free-throw challenge that engaged people right from their own gyms or driveway hoops.
Now we are excited to announce…
We are returning to the arena this year
Introducing
ROLLIN’ MADNESS!
How the madness works
The great part of Rollin’ Madness is EVERYBODY plays whether they have a disability or not. The tournament is inclusive and allows people with out disabilities to experience the power and competitiveness of adapted sports first-hand. The event is a celebration of support for Bridge II Sports wrapped in a day of fun for all.
Corporations, companies, small businesses, non-profits, or just a group of friends sign up a team of 4 to 7 people. NO EXPERIENCE is needed to play and Bridge II Sports provides sport wheelchairs.
In the past a range of organizations have been involved including MetLife, GSK, RTI International, Durham Police Department, Warrior Transition Battalions from Ft. Bragg and Camp Lejune, Van Products, Century 21, Alliance Disability Advocates, Smith Debnam Law, WRAL radio, and many more.
Each team is paired with an ALL-STAR player during the August Madness Draft!
These draft players could be seasoned wheelchair basketball players, former NBA/NCAA stars, or local celebrities. The choice is yours!
Check out the All-stars players from August Madness 2019
On Tournament Day we take over the floor of PNC Arena with 3 ‘short courts’ of non-stop wheelchair basketball action all day. Teams play round robin games leading to the elimination bracket and the ultimate crowning of the Rollin’ Madness Champion!
Why Basketball?
Everyone has had that rush of making a basket, setting up the perfect play on the court or cheering on your favorite team. Our goal is to take something people know and love and ‘challenge their perceptions’ that it can be just as fun and exciting sitting down as it is standing up. In wheelchair basketball, the sport wheelchair is the great equalizer allowing everyone to play.
What is Wheelchair Basketball?
Although we play for fun, bragging rights and a good cause at Rollin’ Madness the competitive sport of wheelchair basketball is the real deal.
Wheelchair basketball has come a long way since first being played by wounded US WWII Veterans in 1946 during their rehab hospital stays. Today there are 82 National Organizations for Wheelchair Basketball in the world and over 200 competitive teams in the United States alone. It is played by boys, girls, men and women from Juniors divisions to intercollegiate play to elite adult teams.
Wheelchair basketball is part of the Paralympic Games that take place every 4 years in the same city and venues 2 weeks after the Olympic Games (Fun fact- The ‘Para’ in Paralympics stands for’ parallel’, not ‘paralyzed’)
To qualify to play competitive wheelchair basketball a person must have a permanent physical disability to their lower extremities.
Bridge II Sports is proud to have a competitive Juniors team — BIIS Team PRIDE, provide weekly wheelchair basketball programs, and host the Old North State Classic Youth Wheelchair Basketball Tournament with 15 teams nationwide coming to Raleigh to compete. It is our goal to start a collegiate wheelchair program right here in North Carolina. To date, the closest to NC is in Alabama.
How is Wheelchair Basketball different from the Basketball you know?
Actually, wheelchair basketball is much more similar than it is different to ‘stand up basketball’. It’s played on 10-foot hoops, 5 on 5, 2 pointers, 3 pointers, fouls…you even have to dribble. Every two times you push your chair you must pass, bounce or shoot the ball before touching the wheels again.
