There was dribbling and passing, shooting and rebounding, all the elements of any basketball practice.
But there was one difference: Almost all the players were in wheelchairs. The players of the Chicago Wheelchair Bulls held their third annual Tournament for Kids last weekend at the Northeast Du Page Special Recreation Association (NEDSRA) gymnasium in Addison.
For an hour, about 75 kids sharpened their skills as the Chicago Wheelchair Bulls provided encouragement and assistance.
The Chicago Wheelchair Bulls is one of five wheelchair teams in the United States sponsored by a National Basketball Association team. The team was adopted by the Chicago Bulls as part of its organization in 1987. There are 170 wheelchair teams in the U.S.
Tanya Winters, 15, of Glen Ellyn said she came out just to have some fun. She met up with Joi Chapa, 15, of Liberty Center, Ohio, who has been at the Shriners Children`s Hospital in Chicago. Both were in wheelchairs.
”I shot my first basket,” said the smiling Chapa. ”It felt good.”
Marybeth Jones, manager of youth services for NEDSRA, said that this event is important to both the children and their parents. ”The children look up to these guys, and for the parents it provides encouragement as well,” she said. ”This helps them focus on ability rather than disability.”
Don Vandello, player coach for the Chicago Wheelchair Bulls, was visibly impressed by the skill shown by the 11-year-olds he was coaching.
”If we have a few more kids playing like that, we have the makings of a junior team,” he said. ”They are good.”
