BC Wheelchair Sports Association, BC Wheelchair Basketball Society, the Bridging the Gap program and LifeMark Health hosted a successful Have a Go Day for amputees and people with other orthopedic disabilities on July 25th at the Langley Events Centre.
“This Have a Go was a great success!" said BCWSA Program Coordinator Kevin Bowie. "It’s so great to see people try out the sport chairs for the first time and experience the freedom of movement they can provide. Thank you to Jeanette at LifeMark Langley. I hope this will be the first of many Have a Go’s and the start of a great partnership.”
Six participants tried everything from athletics to wheelchair rugby to wheelchair tennis. While there have been many Have a Go Days catering to people with spinal cord injuries, this is one of the first to target amputees and those with orthopedic disabilities, such as arthritis or ACL surgeries. Many people with these disabilities walk and so do not realize that they are eligible to play wheelchair sports.
"Many people think that you have to be in a wheelchair to play wheelchair sports, but that's not true," said BCWSA Executive Director Gail Hamamoto. "A wheelchair is just a piece of sports equipment, like a pair of skates or a bobsled. For people who have an injury or disability that makes able-bodied sports painful or difficult, wheelchair sports are an excellent option."
The event was made possible with support from ViaSport and the Province of BC.
To check out a Facebook album of event photos, click here.
If you are an amputee or have an orthopedic disability and want to get involved in wheelchair sports, please contact:
Kevin Bowie
Program Coordinator
kevin@bcwheelchairsports.com
604-333-3520 ext. 205
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