THE word is spreading about the fun and inclusivity of wheelchair basketball, as the sport makes inroads on the Mornington Peninsula.
A pilot wheelchair basketball program at Somerville Recreation Centre gave able-bodied students a change to gain understanding and empathy around the challenges of others and have fun on the court at the same time.
Gabe Peck from the Western Port Basketball Association said the recreation centre teamed up with Somerville Secondary School students who came to play wheelchair basketball in a trial run of the pilot program,
The agenda for the day included court time with a qualified wheelchair basketball coach who delivered a one hour training session for vocational students.
Peck said there was currently no wheelchair basketball competition on the Mornington Peninsula, so the session was an opportunity to get the word out with the hope of eventually creating a weekly competition.
He said teachers at Somerville Secondary were already talking about the program being ongoing and possibly becoming an interschool competition.
For details about the program contact Gabe Peck on gabe@wpba.co.au
First published in the Western Port News – 12 April 2023