TEST YOUR WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL IQ!

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TRUE or FALSE

You must use a wheelchair everyday to be eligible to play wheelchair basketball.

See next slide for answer!

FALSE

“One of the misconceptions of wheelchair basketball is that you must use a chair for everyday mobility in order to play the sport. In fact, many wheelchair basketball athletes get up out of their chair at the end of a game or practice and walk around for the rest of the day. This could be a person with an amputation that utilizes a prosthetic or a person with an incomplete spinal cord injury or a person with cerebral palsy that is ambulatory.

Many people who play in the NWBA qualify under Minimum Disability. These people may not have a disability that is noticeable to the eye but have been determined by a medical professional to have a permanent disability that precludes them from playing competitive stand up basketball. A person who has undergone reconstructive knee surgery may fall into this category.”  – Disability Sport USA  www.dsusa.org

On to Question 2—–

How many prep and juniors wheelchair basketball teams are there in the United States?

a) 12
b) 40
c) 79
d) 205

See next slide for answer!

There are 79 competitive youth wheelchair basketball teams (prep and juniors) in the country.  Compare that number to the countless opportunities to play basketball for able-bodied youth- rec leagues, church leagues, school teams- and it is easy to see why it so important to support your local wheelchair basketball team and help create opportunities for participation.

next up– Question 3

Athletes use specialized sport wheelchairs to play wheelchair basketball.
How much does an average sport wheelchair cost?

a) $500
b) $1,000
c)  $2,000
d) $2,500

See next slide for answer!

Sport wheelchairs cost around $2,500 and can go up in price for more custom chairs that fit an athlete’s body.
Equipment cost is one of the prohibiting factors to developing more wheelchair sports programs and getting people with disabilities competing and active.

Question 4, this way—–

What is the rule for dribbling in wheelchair basketball?

a) Players are not required to dribble
b) every 2 times a player pushes their chair they have to dribble, pass or shoot
c) every time a player pushes their chair they have to dribble, pass or shoot
d) Adult players must dribble continuously, juniors do not have to dribble

See next slide for answer!

ALL players, adults and juniors, MUST dribble at least once for every 2 pushes of their wheels.  Players may also pass, shoot or dribble continuously.

Question 5 ahead!—-

In adult wheelchair basketball players are classified by physical ability and range of motion.  Each player is given a ‘point value’ ranging from 1 to 4 by half points (ie  1–1.5–2–2.5– etc.) with higher points having higher range of motion.

To maintain high standards of competition, quality of play and spectator interest
adult teams are allowed a maximum of ______ number of points on the court at one time.

See next slide for answer!

Adult teams are allotted a maximum of 15 points on the court at one time.

http://www.nwba.org/officialsresources

Question 6- next slide!

Adult, Collegiate and Varsity teams play with the hoop height set at:
a) 7 feet
b) 8 feet
c) 9 feet
d) 10 feet

See next slide for answer!

All wheelchair basketball games are played on courts with the exact same dimensions as standing basketball including hoops set at 10 feet.
Prep teams (players 13 and under) play with the hoop set at 8.5 feet.

Click to next slide for Question 7—

In what year did wheelchair basketball begin?
a) 1912
b) 1946
c) 1971
d) 1984
((Bonus– Where did it begin?))

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“World War II veterans gave birth to wheelchair basketball in 1946. They played in Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals in Birmingham (CA) and Framingham (MA), as well as at the Corona Naval Station (CA) where World War II veterans were being treated for various degrees of paralysis. The Birmingham Report published an article on November 26, 1946, titled “Plegics Win Wheelchair Game, 16 to 6″. The veterans competed against doctors who practiced at the Birmingham Hospital. In 1947 the Birmingham team traveled to the Corona Naval Station where they competed in the first match between two wheelchair basketball teams.

Within two years, six teams emerged representing VA hospitals across the US. National tournament were organized and hosted by the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA).”

http://www.nwba.org/page/show/2019775-history

Question 8 coming at you!– next slide—

TRUE or FALSE

Wheelchair basketball has been a  Paralympic Sport since 1960.

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TRUE!

Wheelchair basketball has been a part of the Paralympics since the first official games in 1960.
The ‘Para’ in Paralympics stands for Parallel (as in Parallel Olympics).  Since 1988 the Paralympic Games have taken place in the same city and same venues roughly 2 weeks after the Olympic Games.

https://www.paralympic.org/the-ipc/history-of-the-movement

Question 9 is next– slide ahead!

Which of the following states DOES NOT have a collegiate wheelchair basketball program?
a) Missouri
b) Illinois
c) Alabama
d) Wisconsin
e) North Carolina

See next slide for answer!

NORTH CAROLINA does NOT currently have a collegiate wheelchair basketball program in the state despite being arguable the capital of college hoops.
Varsity players looking to continue their wheelchair basketball career must go out of state to play.
Bridge II Sports is working to change that!  Please email admin@bridge2sports.org to join the effort and make NC the capital of ALL collegiate basketball!

Last question—

TRUE or FALSE

Wheelchair basketball is just as intense, fast-paced and competitive as the standing version.

See next slide for answer!