I was quite apprehensive before attending the wheelchair basketball practice session today at Sydney University. “I don’t think I’m ready yet. I don’t think I have enough upper body strength,” I told a colleague who plays wheelchair basketball.
It was a complete coincidence discovering that she played, even though she’s able-bodied. I was chatting with some colleagues when one of them mentioned, “You know… such and such plays wheelchair basketball at Sydney University?”
I was introduced to the colleague (whom I hadn’t met previously), and we chatted about what I might expect.
Nonetheless, I was worried, as I haven’t played regular sport since the late 1980s. Back then, I lived in Bourke, where we played Tuesday night social tennis at the courts next to the Bowling Club. Unsurprisingly, we probably spent more time drinking beers at the Bowling Club than playing tennis.
On top of that, I haven’t played basketball since high school.
I’ve watched a few wheelchair basketball videos on YouTube, and they all looked well beyond my skill level.
Today, I was also feeling a bit tired.
But I summoned up the strength and courage and made my way to the Sports & Aquatic Centre at Sydney University, where they have practice sessions every Saturday from 3-5 pm.
“In theory, he’s just here to watch, but I reckon we could get him up,” my colleague told another player. And she was right. At first, I sat and watched intently, but after a while, I felt the urge to get involved. That’s when some of the players and the coaches came over and suggested I give it a try.
The most difficult thing, initially, was re-learning how to use a wheelchair. Though I spent a few months in a wheelchair last year, I’ve had my prosthetic limb for about six months and haven’t really used my wheelchair since November. The sports wheelchair moved more quickly than my regular one and was easier to use. There was also the issue of whether I should wear my prosthetic or not, and I quickly concluded it was better to remove it.
There was only one other person playing with one limb, and she had an amputation above the knee, which is quite different from those of us with below-the-knee amputations. By rating, I’m a 4.5 (meaning my accessibility is pretty good), whereas some of the people today were paraplegic with weak stomach muscles, etc.
There were a couple of things I found challenging, particularly finding the right strength to throw the ball from a lower height to the hoop. I wasn’t able to hit a goal, though I came close. I also found it difficult to dribble the ball without crashing into my wheelchair. And how do you pick up a ball in one hand while simultaneously trying to keep your wheelchair moving? The secret is in rolling the ball up the wheel of your chair. The coaches and other players provided lots of tips along the way.
Both the coaches and the other attendees were wonderful, offering both their knowledge and support. The vibe was excellent.
Excellent enough to make me want to return. I can’t attend in a couple of weeks since I’ll have visitors, but I’ll definitely return next weekend.
Quite challenging but I think you are rightly pleased with yourself.
Thanks Andrew. I felt a real buzz afterwards.