Good News – March, 2024
[Image ID - White text reads “Good News - March 2024” on a green background overlaid on top of an image of children playing sports.]
Disability Soccer Clinic Goal
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At our Abilities Unleashed events in Brimbank and Maribyrnong, we’ve had Pina from Keilor Park Soccer Club deliver soccer. The way she instantly connects with the participants is a reason her soccer rotations are popular amongst attendees. At the events she delivers, you will notice smiles and laughs from her station.
“I love coaching participants who are keen to explore soccer, seeing smiles when a skill has been successfully achieved or a goal is scored,” Pina said. “In addition to the teachers and carers who join in the activity and are as equally engaged in the activation.”
Pina has a goal to start a consistent disability soccer clinic at Keilor Park Soccer Club. At our Abilities Unleashed days, she is building her delivery confidence.
“It has been wonderful to learn from participants about what they enjoy and ensuring the session is suitable. Each activation is tailored to those present and what works in session. Learning that it’s okay to adapt mid-way through an activity that isn’t working as well as what I would have liked.”
Pina’s actions to be involved in the inclusion space is a great example for other clubs to follow. Our Abilities Unleashed events are offering her a safe space to trial her program.
To enquire more at Keilor Park Soccer Club, please contact: admin@keilorparksoccerclub.com.au
Here are some favourites from Pina’s rotations.
Paralympics are Set to Create New Viewership Record
The Paralympic Games are expected to attract the largest-ever viewership at this summer’s Paris Games with a record number of countries – 160 to be precise – having locked in their broadcast deals. The broadcast revenue has also risen by 20% from the Tokyo Games.
The organisers expect that this summer’s Games being in the European time zone will be a factor in getting more people to tune in as compared to Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. They are optimistic that they will beat London’s record from 2012 as well. This, along with the increased standard of competition at the Paralympic Games, will also help generate more interest in disability sports.
Find the full story on The Guardian.
Indian Para-cricketer Amir Lone Finds a Fan in Sporting Legend
We all dream of meeting our idol one day. Recently, Indian para-cricketer Amir Hussain Lone not only got to meet his hero, legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, but also played alongside him.
Amir always pursued becoming a cricketer. He taught himself to bat by holding the bat between his chin and shoulders and to bowl using his feet. His skills developed with practice over the years, and he became the captain of the para-cricket team of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
A viral video of the 34-year-old caught the attention of Tendulkar, who then met him and invited him to play with him in a celebrity exhibition game at the opening ceremony of the Indian Street Premier League. The duo opened the batting together and Lone also impressed everyone with his “leg-spin” bowling.
Wheelchair Basketball Australia to Restore National Leagues in 2024
Basketball has become an increasingly popular sport amongst wheelchair users, with local leagues becoming more readily available at the hands of Basketball Australia.
Wheelchair Basketball Australia (WBA) has announced this month that, with the endorsement of Basketball Australia, they will be restoring both the National Wheelchair Basketball League (NWBL) and Women’s National Wheelchair Basketball League (WNWBL) in 2024. This will include 7 teams in the men’s league and 4 in the women’s league.
Restoring these leagues is seen as a crucial pathway for elite athletes and for representation in younger generations who may want to participate in wheelchair basketball as they grow older. This also highlights to up-and-coming athletes that there is a pathway for them if they want to compete at more than a social level.
Read WBA’s full announcement here.
Dylan Alcott Announces Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
[Image ID - Wheelchair Tennis legend Dylan Alcott AO is addressing an audience at a University Of Melbourne event using a microphone.]
Image credit: Faculty of Business and Economics, The University of Melbourne
Retired wheelchair tennis great Dylan Alcott AO has announced a new scholarship for Australian students living with a disability. Alcott’s Foundation has partnered with the University of Melbourne to support two Bachelor of Commerce Students.
Alcott, who is himself an alumna of the University’s Faculty of Business and Economics, will be extending a funding of AUD 60,000 to the two recipients during their undergraduate degrees. Talking about his motivation to start the scholarship, the Golden Slam winner highlighted the small representation of people with disabilities amongst people with a degree in Australia.
He hopes that by removing the financial barrier, the scholarship will motivate young people with disabilities to consider pursuing higher education, which will give them an equal opportunity to get involved in the workforce and fulfil their potential.
Find out more about the scholarship here.
Jessi Hooper Finds her Space in Boccia
[Image ID - Jessi Hooper is sitting in her wheelchair in an indoor sports court. In the front, there are six Boccia balls on the floor. Three are red and three are blue. Jessi is looking at the balls. In the background, there is an electronic scoreboard and four people are having a chat.]
Image credit: ABC
Boccia, a mix of lawn bowls and bocce, was created as a sport for those living with cerebral palsy. Building Inclusive Sport Clubs facilitator Jessi Hooper found the sport around the time of her neurological diagnosis.
Hooper began to play boccia socially to grow her skills and keep up with the benefits of partaking in a sport, which developed into her competing nationally. Boccia had a significant impact on Hooper’s mental health by allowing her to create a social circle and play a sport she loved. Despite the lack of funding and high prices for equipment from being a lesser-known sport, Hooper remains dedicated.
Although she was recently unable to be classified due to her neurological condition and no longer allowed to play competitively, Hooper is still enthusiastic about the sport and plays socially, with hope for more recognition of the sport and more female players to gain a sense of community.
Read the full ABC story here.
