Page 48 - BWA 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

HIGH PERFORMANCE
WHEELCHAIR
Craig Friday Wheelchair Basketball Talent Identification & Development Co-ordinator
2021 TOKYO PARALYMPICS SAW AUSTRALIA REPRESENTED BY THE ROLLERS FOR MEN AND GLIDERS FOR THE WOMEN
HIGH PERFORMANCE PATHWAY
2021 has been a frustrating year again with again with Covid playing its part in affecting high performance competition in Australia. We had several athletes finally get to represent Australia in the Paralympics as well as the Basketball WA Perth Wheelcat’s complete in three rounds of the National Wheelchair Basketball League for men.
2021 Tokyo Paralympics saw Australia represented by the Rollers for men and Gliders for the women. Both teams qualified back in 2019 but with a year delay due to the Covid pandemic it was nice to finally compete. Not the result both teams were looking for but the Rollers finished 5th (improving a position from Rio in 2016) and the Gliders 9th competing in their first Paralympics since 2012 in London.
Basketball WA continues to work closely with the WAIS Wheelchair Basketball Program. 16 athletes were on scholarship with all coming from the Basketball WA and the Perth Wheelcat’s program.
The Black Ducks our Junior National Champs team continue to train and develop although no competition was held with the cancellation of the Kevin Coombs Cup in 2021.
PARTICIPATION PATHWAY
Tuesday nights in 2021 have been what have deemed Development Night. Operating out of HBF each Tuesday from 6.00 – 7.30pm we have had Robert Pike (former Wheelcat player and Roller) taking these development sessions with a blend of new people, people willing to try wheelchair basketball and our Black Ducks junior athletes. The session focused of the fundamentals of the game and a basic game structure. Looking forward to continuing to grow numbers here and provide some coaching opportunities for anyone interested.
We did manage to take a game to the Willetton Basketball Stadium in 2020. A demonstration game prior to a NBL1 game. WAIS vs BWA was a good spectacle and well received by the local community and have out their hand up to host anther game in 2022.
“ WAIS vs BWA was a good spectacle and well received by the local community.”
AUSTRALIAN GLIDERS
Amber Merritt
Sarah Vinci
Mary Friday
Taishar Ovens
Natalie Alexander
Georgia Inglis
AUSTRALIAN ROLLERS
Shaun Norris
Captain
Michael Auprince
Kim Robins
Frank Pinder
Thomas McHugh
Ben Moncrief
Jake Kavanagh
Ryan Morich
AUSTRALIAN UNDER 23’S SPINNERS (JUNIOR MEN)
Frank Pinder
Ben Moncrief
Thomas McHugh
AUSTRALIAN UNDER 25’S DEVILS (JUNIOR WOMEN)
Mary Friday
REP THE ROLLERS (FROM BWA)
Shaun Norris
Captain
Kim Robins
Michael Auprince
Brad Ness
Assistant Coach
Craig Friday
Head Coach
REP THE GLIDERS (FROM BWA)
Amber Merrit
Vice Captain
Sarah Vinci
Mary Friday
Natalie Alexander
Taishar Ovens
Craig Friday
Head Coach
48 | BWA ANNUAL REPORT 2021