Representing Australia in Wheelchair Basketball
Bounce Back!
Before my injury, I wanted to represent Australia, just in a different way.
Since I was 14, I wanted to be in the army. Being someone who actively protected the country, seemed virtuous. To be on the frontlines, overcoming some of the hardest challenges for the greater good of others and the nation, I didn’t want to just be another “number”. I wanted to be a commando.
I used to watch and admire the videos of them training, hiking, their qualifications etc. As gruelling as it all seemed, it looked honourable, and that’s why I wanted to do it.
Though, for obvious reasons, it wasn’t an option after my injury.
Come late 2021, I had an inspiring conversation with Keith Saggers, where he mentioned the idea of playing wheelchair basketball.
I had never watched a game of it. But despite me initially dismissing the idea, it pressed on my mind, and I bought my first basketball.
I started by shooting hoops at a local half-court from my day chair. But despite how terrible my shooting was, time would just pass by. Something so simple was so much fun (and teaching me a lot of lessons at the same time).
I researched wheelchair basketball competitions in Sydney but nothing was happening at the time. We just got out of a 5 month COVID lockdown, and things were pretty stale.
However, I found out that my local basketball stadium was doing free wheelchair training sessions for anyone interested to come and try.
So, I attended my first training session with kids aged 8-12 run by an NBL1 (National Basketball League) player. I shared my enthusiasm for the sport with the organisation and they offered me a coaching position.
Given it was the end of the year, the wheelchair sessions weren’t running shortly after but they had holiday camps for kids, so I started coaching there to learn some drills and skills that I could bring to court myself.
Then in February 2022, Basketball NSW held try-outs for a junior NSW state team competition. Thankfully I was selected to represent NSW at the Kevin Coombs Cup (KCC) in April that year.
One KCC coach, Gerry Hewson, invited me to train regularly with his Sydney NSWIS Wheelchair Basketball sessions to get more out of my training.
The other KCC coaches, Brett Stibners (Sticky) and Shawn Russell (Huss) saw potential and invited me to train twice a week with their national team - The Wollongong Rollerhawks.
The team were kind enough to continually support and encourage my basketball journey. They also gave me a spot in their team that year for my rookie season.
Competing in the National Wheelchair Basketball League (NWBL) in my first year was exhilarating! I was playing with others who were currently in positions I wanted to be in. I looked up to all of them and learned a lot.
In the meantime, Basketball NSW holds a state-wide competition every year called the Waratah League.
8 different teams battle it out on various competition days.
It was a nice surprise to have received the 2 Point Player of the Year award!
Not long before 2022 was coming to a close, Basketball Australia selected a group of 30 young men they saw potential in, to come for an athlete development camp in Canberra at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) - The Frank Ponta Cup (FPC).
UPDATE:
It inspires me to revisit this page and share on 29th November 2023, that I have played again with the Rollerhawks in the 2023 NWBL season, revisited the AIS twice since my first FPC, received the Waratah 2, 2 Point Player of the Year award this year, the Coaches Award for representing the Hills Hornets and am still consistently training to be the best wheelchair basketball player I can be.
It’s moments like at this year’s FPC that remind me how all my efforts are all worth it:
After a day of training and seminars, we finished with a little 3x3 tournament with 5 rounds before the finals.
My team went into overtime in the grand final and we needed two points to win.
After being up one point, I got fouled on a shot and was left with one free shot that won the game.
I decided to seal that day with success by treating myself to a little bit of dessert to close the night and keep the momentum rolling!
Keeping consistent with my training and efforts in the sport, I aim to achieve the level of basketball success that my coaches and other friends in the Rollerhawks have achieved.
I may not become a commando for the Australian Army, but I will one day, be wearing the green and gold, playing for the Rollers - representing Australia in Wheelchair Basketball.
Follow my journey!