Due to medical conditions, I was never able to be sportive from childhood.
I was stopped in the street by Stuart asking me if I wanted to go to Wheelchair Basketball, at the time I had a left leg amputation, and my right leg was fused straight at the knee, so therefore sticking out straight. In my opinion there was no way I could play Wheelchair Basketball. So I thought…..
A while later, in 2015 I had my second leg amputated, and a couple of months later, my wife told me she had heard about a wheelchair basketball team at the local university.
I went along and within minutes, I was hooked. Finally I was as competitive as everyone else, playing on an equal platform. I was not the best player (probably never will be) and it doesn’t matter. But I enjoyed playing every minute of it and for the first time felt so competitive.
In 2017, I first became a level 1 assistant Wheelchair Basketball Coach, then with further training (as it happens, from a Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball player and coach), I trained and qualified to be a level 2 coach. I can now legitimately provide coaching to the rest of the team. This has been a phenomenal achievement for me, with which I am very proud.
Along with the other coaches at Northants Phoenix, we can provide an exciting experience for both ‘Able Bodied’ people and others that are less able, regardless of age.
I am also proud to be featured in the book by Wendy Smith (Paralympian and Author)
The Quickfix guide to Wheelchair Basketball
January 2019
I have now become a Level 1 basketball referee. This was done for the “running game”, but is transferable to the “wheelchair game”.
Although I am not planning on becoming a regular referee, it has provided me a fantastic knowledge boost into the rules and regulations of the game, and also a big insight into understanding the signs and signals a referee gives.
It has given me a bigger, better and more rounded knowledge of the game and rules.
Visit the club that I coach and play at Northants Phoenix Wheelchair Basketball Club