National Wheelchair Basketball Association

NEWSLEnER • • • L ... lngton , KY .....

Vo II.I1'le XXVI I I July 14, 1988

1988 M:J\I'5 PAAAL'fM»IC CA\£S TEAM PIO(8)

The players selected to the 1988 men's national team were narred on JlIle 19 by Head COach Frank Burns after 2 days of gruelling workouts involving 27 hopefuls at the Lhiversity of Alabarm-Binningham. The 12 players honored by appointment to the team are:

OJrtis Bell, Casa Colina Condors Albert CarrJX>s. Casa Col ina Condors David Efferson, COlden State 76ers David Ki ley, Casa Col ina Condors Joe Wemi, BordentC)lM'l Elks Ed (Men, Fresno Red Rollers Mike Schlappi, U. of Arizona Wi Idchairs Rick St. John. Toledo Si Iver Streaks hlardo Valdez, EPJA Olargers IAIrryl Waller , Tqledo Silver Streaks Rod Wi II iams , C0

1den State 76ers

Cary Woodring. chrond Rinriders

a..rns was aided in his 'M)rk by U.S. Team Assistant Goa~h Paul Jackson of Golden State 76ers~ Dan Byrnes, Wright State University ; Morris Gardner, Huntsvi lie Rockets; Tip Thiboutot, canton ElIlldogs; and Harry Vines, Arkansas Rol lin' Razorbacks.

1he coaches were faced wi th rmking thei r selections fran arrDf"IQ the top players in the Nr'BI\. 1he i r task was made a I I the more difficult pecause of the intennational player classification system (4 classes, 13.5 points maximum) which imposes limi tations on different player carb inations, especially as players may have one or a ha I f po i nt added or subtracted when officially classified on arrival in Seoul.

1he team is not wi thout cons iderable intennational experience. Veteran Ed Owen is selected to his 10th national t eam. His first venture into Paralympic cClrJl)etition was in 1964 when he played on the U.S. team that won the gold rredal in Toyko, Japan. He has been selected to each Olympic-year team since (1968, '72, '76, '80 and '84) and in-be tween, won

selection to the 1979 and 1983 teams that care away wi th world charrpionsh ips in the Cold Cup tournaments held in Tanpa, Florida and Halifax, Nova Scotia, respectively. In 1981 he was appointed to the national team that toured Japan as part of the International Year of the Disabled Person celebration.

Dave Efferson ranks next in international experience, having been selected to 8 national teams - 3 in Olympic years (1980, '84 and '88), the Pan American Games in 1982 , the Cold Cup in Tanpa in 1979 and Halifax in 1983 and in Melbourne, Australia in 1986 and the International Stoke Mandevi lie Games in 1987. Dave Ki ley has played on six national teams entered in international competitions: the 1976 and 1980 Paralympic Carnes, the 1981 IiJlland tournaments and the Gold Cup Championships in 1979, 198 3 and 1986 . 1hough se lected to the 1981 team that toured Japan, the 1982 Pan hr'erican Games team and the 1984 Olympic-year team, he dec I ined the invitation to play.

A 5-t irre nat iona I t eam rrerrber is OJrt i s Bell. As an arrputee. Bell was not el igible to play in international cClrJl)etition governed by the International Stoke Wande-vi I Ie Games Federation unti I 1983 when the rules were finally changed to allow those with non-spinal cord related disabi lities to compete. 1he 1981 U.S. national teams that toured Japan and IiJlland of v.hich Bell was a rrerrber defied the old ruling although with the consent of the participating teams and host organizers. Bell's nerbership on the 1982 U.S. Pan hr'erican Games team was "legal" because arrpJtees had been allO'Ned to play in the Pan American Games since their inception in 1967. (1he Pan flm Games Federation did not come under the jurisdiction of the 19MDF unt; I recently). He was a key fig.Jre on the 1983 and 1986 teams that won the world charpionship in the Cold a...:> tournaments.

Darryl waller another non- spinal cord related disabled athlete (congenital absence of the fore- foot) has played in 3 international competitions: the Cold a...:> tournarrents of 1983 and 1986 and the 1984 Olympic-year

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conpetitions at Stoke Mmdeville. England. Four players have acqui red international experience on two previous national teams: Albert Carrpos and Joe Manni in 1981 and 1986; Rick St. John in 1986 and 1987; and Anardo Valdez in 198q and 1987. Gary Woodring received his sole international experience to date as a rrerrber of the gold rredal winning team at Stoke Mandevi lie, England in 1987.

O1ly ty,o players wi II get their baptism in international coopetition in Seoul - Mike Schlappi and Rod Williams.

Both coaches are schooled veterans of the international garre. &Jrns was the U.S. team assistant coach in 1982 and 1983 at the Pan Ifn Games and Gold Cup Tournarrents in Ha I i fax and served as the Head coach of the 1986 team that played in Madrid. Spain and at Stoke Mandevi I Ie. Jackson was the assistant coach in 198q in England and head coach in 1986 when the U.S. team y,on the world charrpionship in Welbourne.

Five players were named as alternates: Ron Alsup. Music City Lightning; Jim Leathenren. BaltilT1lre W.A.C.; Kevin Lowery, Golden State 76ers; JimMiller, Casa Col ina Condors; and f?J.Jss Serr, Long Beach Flying Wheels.

1he renaining ten players invited to tryout were: Ryan Anderson, Northeast Florida Wheelers; Jeff Sreihl, Golden State 76ers; Shelley Casson, Music City Lightning; Jim Gallo, Chicago ElAlls; John Johnston, l\i)rth Florida Renegades; John Kamsikas, Q-and Rapids Pacers; Stan Kosloski. Connecticut Spokebenders; Mike Nevi lie, and Joe Ray, Lakeshore Pioneers; and John Sikora, Pittsburgh Steelwheelers.

Issued invitations but unable to attend the tryout camp for any one of a I'lt.J'Tber of reasons were: Chr i s Cooper, Randy Snow and Ron laBar, Dallas Mavericks; Reg Colton and Reg GoodrBn, M.lsic Ci ty Lightning; David Kroon, Q-and Rapids Pacers; Darrell ScherYlebeck, A¥kansas Rol lin' Razorbacks; and Joe Sutika, Toledo Si Iver Streaks .

To the players selected to represent the U.S. in this year's international competition we offer hearty congrat ­ulations and solid support in bringing bakc the gold medal that we last captured in 1976.

To those YIho dim' t make it but gave it their best effort, we offer continued encouragetrent knowing that they'll be needed to staff future U.S. international teams.

1988 Yl).-EN'S PARAL'I?If'IC CAVES TEA\1

1he major portion of the 1988 'MlITen's national team was selected in a one-day tryout held at Kansas City on March 27 imrediately following the~. The narres of the ten players were announced at that time, leaving the coaches, Brad Hedrick and Lew Shaver, the prerogative of picking two additional players at a later date after al I relevant factors (classification distribution, team make-up, strategy, etc.) were taken into consideration. The ten players selected ~re:

Cathy Cain and Susie Q-imes, Bay Area Meteorites; Susan Hagel, Karen Casper­Robeson, Mary Am D'Nei II and Deb Suldenren. Courage Roll ing GofJhers; Sharon Hedrick and Barbara Voss, U. of III inois Fighting III ini; Sharon oVcCarthy, San Diego Sharps; and Pam Stewart, Wright State U. lady Raiders.

In ciJe time, two players were added to the roster: Terry Goodknight of the Lhiversity of Illinois; and Julie webb of Wright State lhiversity. In the meantime however, one of the original ten selectees, Karen Casper­Pobeson announced her wi thdrawa I because of pregnancy, leaving the roster with eleven players. one short of the maxinun ruTher a Ilowable. Coach Hedrick subsequent Iy annolllCed that he will go with this lineup and forego the opportlrli ty to rOlrld it off at 12 .

The women's team wi II practice together through the week of July 15,16 and 17 irmediately preceding the annual wheelchair basektball canp held at the Lhiversity of Wisconsin-\\hitewater. A final training cat'Jll prior to departure for Korea will be held at \\tIitewater frem O:::tober 6 to 10. The team will join the men's team in San Francisco on O::tober 11 th for the fl ight to Seoul. 1he ccrrpetition dates for the women coincide with those for the men: O::tober 16 to 24.

The amDlrlt of international experience gained by the women on the roster is limited overall in corrparison with that of the men. Susan Hagel leads in that department having played on 6 national teams since 1980. Sharon Hedrick, although having played in q international competitions since 1980, has

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not played on a national team since 1982 ¥Iflen she wa s a I1"B'J'be r 0 f the go I d rreda I team in the Pan ,Anerican Games in Halifax, Nova Scot la. Wary Am OINei II also has 4 international experiences to her credit dating fn:m 1982. Next in I ine is Barbara Voss v.ho has played in tv.o inter­national tournaments in 1983 and 1984. Three players gained their lone experience as rnerrbers of the 1986 si Iver rredal team at Stoke MBndevi I Ie - Susie Grimes. Sharon McCarthy and Pam Stewart.

COach Hedrick brings to his role both playing and coaching experience in internationa l coopetition. He played on the 1980 Paralympic team and the 1981 team that won t'M) international tourna­rrents in t-blland. He was the Assistant COach of the 1982 and 1984 women's nat iona' teams corrpet Ing in the Pan ,Am and Wbrld Wheelchair Games respectively. Assistant COach Shaver has tasted inter­na tiona I carpet i t i on as Coach of the 1981 national collegiate men's team ~ich played in Bruges, Belgh.m. He had earl ier (1985) taken his Southwest State University team to play against teams in Taiwan and rrBinland Olina.

EXEOJTI \IE <IJMI nEE 1O!.£ET JLt.Y 22-2 4

The NWBA Executive Gommittee will hold its mid-year rreeting in Schal.lTb.Jrg, III inois, July 22-24. Among the rrBjor items on the agenda are: selection of sites for the 1989 Sect iona I Tournarrents; review of two proposed contracts for fund raising campaigns; arrangements for the 1988 national men's and women's tean& entered in the VI 11th Paralyrrpic GarrEs in Seoul, Korea; drafting of proposed il'lleOdlents to the NWBA bylaws to clari fy NWBA representation in international coopetition; and a proposed arrendnent to the Executive Regulations to codify matters dealing with game officials. The decisions reached on these and a host of other items on the agenda wi II be af"lOOUlCed in the next issue of the Nf64. News letter.

Nll3AI PVA CAWS SlATID RR LtC /'H)

LC-IRl/ltE

For the second successive year. the Paralyzed Veterans of krerica wi II JOin

wi th the NWBA to sponsor a program of

¥Aleelchair basketball carrps at two prime training sites: the University of North Carol ina at Olapel Hi II (July 31 - Ai..9Jst 5) and the University of california - Irvine (August 28 - September 3) .

The carps follow on the success of the initial I'MBo\/ PVA venture conc:1Jcted at the University of Illinoi s at Urbana-<llarrpaigl in 1987 and which attracted more than 80 players from novices to veterans from al I parts of the cOlntry. This year's carrps are desigled to serve areas which tended to be underrepresented in last year's population -the east and west coast.

Heading up the instructiona l staff at the UNC camp are: lew Shaver. Staff Director, Brad Hedrick, lhiversity of Illinois; Dan Byrnes. Wrig,t State U.; Ron Lykins, U. of Wisconsin-Whitewater; Dave Herr-cardil 10, University of Arizona; and Frank Brasi Ie, Un iversity of Nebraska-Qreha.

The staff at LC-Irvine wi II include: Shaver, (Staff Director). Hedrick, Byrnes and Lykins together wi th Frank fums, lake­shore Pioneers (NWBA CaTps Coordinator); Bob Szyrrsn, Courage Roll ing Cophers, Harry Vines, Arkansas Roll in' Razorbacks; and I:b1 Vande I 10, Olicago fulls.

Registrations for both camps are sti I I being taken. The fee is $150 which includes housing, meals and trlifonns. A l(Mer fee of $75.00 is avai lable for campers who do not wish to stay or dine on canpus at each sl teo

Please call PVA Sports at (800) 424-8200 to receive registration infonmation.

Team reps and conference officers in receipt of this Newsletter and the accompanying flyer are asked to help get the word out by letting players and coaches know about this exceptional opporttrlity for instruction and training.

CIl'flRIN:ES lNlEJU) owas RR 1988-89

Several developments have taken place in the time since the arrual meeting to indicate that the layout of conferences and teams in the NWBA wi II be sl ig,tly di fferent in 1988-89 than it was in 1987-88.

The most striking developrent has been the disbanding of the Q-eat o,io! Conference after two seasons of operation and the

redistribution of teams in the region into three conferences: the Mid-America, the Lake Oltario and the Keystone.

The status of the q- team ~eat Ohio! Gonference was seriously affected by two coincidental developrents - the alY'lOlIlCed withc:trawal of the Cleveland Cmets fran the f'.M86. and the petition, slbseq.Jently granted by the Comni ss i oner, of the Akron Rubber City Rollers to join the newly­organi zed, 6- team Keystone Conference which Akron officials detenmined was rrore carpatible carpetitively and geographically than nerbership in the ~eat Ohio! Conference.

The ~eat Ohio! Conference chanpions for the past two years. Toledo Silver Streaks recognizing that a third and fourth team would be necessary to main­tain eligibility for postseason competition. sought to invite a reorganized Detroit Sparks team into the conference together wi th any of the other teams in the area but wi th Ii tt Ie success. In the long n.1I, the remaining conference merrbers, To I edo and Co I urCus agreed to di sband the conference.

Subsequent events have been reported as follows: {ll the Toledo Si Iver Streaks appl ied for but were denied rrarbership in the Lake Michigan & Lake Oltario Conferences. As a result, the Coomissioner has ruled that the Si Iver Streaks may have merrbership in the NM3A. in 1988- 89 as an independent team; (2) A second team organi zed in Toledo named the Glass Ci ty CanDlers has been accepted as a menDer of an expanded (8-team) Mid­America Conference. hrong the teams is fonner ~eat Ohio! Conference member Columbus Buckeye Wheelers . Two others have been accepted into rrerbership - the Evansvi lie Roll ing "T1-ulder, formerly of the Midwest Conference and newly­organized Circle City Knight Riders of Indianapol is. The Mid-America Conference wi II operate as a two-division conference in 1988- 89. (3) The fometion of the 6- team Keystone Conference with teams in Pi ttsburgh, JotnstO'tWl, Wi lkes Barre. and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania together with YOCll9s tov.n , Ohio was made to order for the Akron team and its rrerbership was accepted at the organizational meeting

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reid in Way. (q) The Lake Oltario Conference accepted the application of five teams - the Detroit Sparks, Cleveland COmets and three teams new to the Nr\Bt\ based in Albany, New York, Hamilton. Oltario and tv'ontreal. Q.Jebec to reorganize into 3 divisions, each with four teams. Rejected was the Si Iver Streaks' appl ication for merrbership.

1E'M CANo1D'\, FPMI LIAR NIWES

The Canadian men's team entered in the 1988 ParalYfllJic Garres wi II drawalrrost exclusively on players who play in the NWBA. !he team was al'V1Ot.llCed earl ier this spring after tryouts in Edmnton, Alberta. TIle 12--rran squad wi II be made l4' of the following players: Pat Griffin, JolYny Way, Ron Minor, and Randy Wyness of Alberta Northern Lights; Jeff Penner and Bruce Russell of Twin Ci ty (Ki tchener) Spinners; M.Jrray BrCMn and Chris Samis, Vancouver Cablecars; Eric COrseau, London Flyers; Roy Henderson, Toronto "T1-ulderbi rds and Deni s LaPa lme, Ot tawa Roya Is. Braden Hi rsch, a non- f'IMBo\ player fran 6dmonton wi I I also play on the team.

Noticeably missing in the Canadian I ine~ are Reg WcClelland and Roy Shemen of the f'brthern Lights both of vdlan did not tryout for the nat iana I team.

COaching the team wi II be Brent Foster and Gary Smi th of the fIklrthern Lights. Foster coached the Canadian team to a close second place finish behind the U.S. team in last sl.lTJT'ler's International Stoke iVendevi lie Games.

The Canadians wi II prepare for the Seoul cmpetitions by stopping in the Los hlgeles area to playa series of games against Southern California Conference teams in late September. Fran there they will travel to A..Istralia for a week of training with the A..Istralian national team before enilarking for Korea.

C'MITSOl !IN) em 10 OFFICIAlE IN PARAl.'lll'PICS

Among the 17 officials invited to call the rrore than 72 games sched.Jled wring the 1988 Paralympic competitions wil I be two veteran NWBA officials, Paul Camitsch of St. Paul, Minnesota and AI Orr of Tarrpa, Florida. 1he two have been officiating in international tournaments for a number

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of years - orr since 1981 and camitsch since 1982. Their appointment derives from the fact that both have tn:Iergone licensing by the Basketball Section of the 15Mr. orr has been selected for the 1982 Pan .An'erican Ganes, the 1983 Cold ~ O\arrpionships (both in Halifax) and the 1984 World \\fleelchair Games in England. camitsch officiated in the 1982 Pan AnGarres, 1983 Cold Cup Olarrpion­ships, the 1984 World Mleelchair Games and the 1986 Cold Cup in Welt:x>urne, hlstral ia.

I ~TI<N\L LI CENS I N:; EN:ll.RI'GID RR No\BA OFF I CI AI.5

Cami tsch and orr are 2 of only 3 officials in the NWBA who presently qualify for officiating in international corrpetitions. The I icensing process calls for examination by a panel of international referees in an inter­national tOUrnaJ'lEnt other than the Cold ~ or the Paral)'1'Tpic Games. Nf6A. officials interested in obtaining an international I icense and qual ifying for ITEIjor caJlletitions should contact the Office of the Coomissioner for a copy of the rules (based on FIBA rules) and infOrTI'Btion on the proced.Jres that RUst be followed. TI1ere are increasing numbers of championships for both men and'M)R'efl in the years ahead and v.nich will call for the participation of U.S. officials. Inquiries are invited.

I'iEST ~ m PlAY IN U.S.

The nat iona I team of West GerTI'Bny wi II be arriving in the U.S. in late July to playa series of games in three locations - Olarlotte, fIC, Dallas, TX, and Los Angeles, CA. Detai Is of the team1s schedJ I e have no t been annot.rlCed to da te. The Wes t Gemans sho¥.ed ex t renE I y we I I in the 1987 European Olanpionships wi th a 5th place finish and are regarded armng the top 5 teams challenging for the 1988 Paral)'1'Tpic Games Olanpionship.

No\Bo\ 1 989 R:STSEI\SCJ'I1 [)o\TES

Regional Playoffs - Warch 4 and 5 Sectional Playoffs - Mtrch 17- 19 I'W3T - April 4- 9, Hartford, cr

The calendar of international tournaments and championships for the 4-year period after 1988 tentatively looks I ike this:

1989- July 23- 30: World Stoke Wandevi lie \\hee Icha i r Games

1990- July 3- 10:

July 29 -Aug 5

Aug. 5- 12,

ft<Ig.Js t

1991 - July

1992-Sunner

Wor Id ~ for Wooen­St. Etierne , France World Stoke MBndeville Mlee I cha i r Ganes World Chanpionship (tv'en)­Bruges, Belgiun Pan .Arner i can \\flee I cha i r Games - Venezuela

World Stoke Mandeville \\heelchair Games Paral~ic Games, Barcelona, Spain (men &

""""'" ) The World Stoke M1ndevi lie Ytheelchair Ganes

are held al'YlUally, except in Olyrrpic years, at Stoke MBndevi lie Stadiun located in Aylesbury, England. Aylesbury is approxirrately 40 mi les norttMest of London.

'r\Ov'EN I S A. C. SCl..OfT

The Waren1s Division of the NWBA is in search of an Assistant Commissioner to replace Jan Floyd of the Un iversity of I I linois who resigned from the position this spring. Jan had served as Comnissioner for one year.

Applicants are asked to submit resumes to Karen Casper- Robeson, Ola i rperson, Warren I s Division, 940 E. orange Ave., St. Paul, i\'N 55106 no later than August 15, 1988. Af:pl ications postrrarked after this date wi II not not be considered.

PRESEASCN TASKS /'N) IlE.'DLI r-ES

At this point in the year, we ¥IOUld I ike to alert conference officers and tearn representatives to the fol lowing requirenEnts for getting the 1988- 89 season tn:Ienwy :

1. Team iAJes : $200.00 per team; deadline of October 31. Penalty for failure to submit by dead I ine: additional 25% added to nemership fee .

Send check ITBde out to the Nt\BA di rect Iy to: George Veenstra, Treasurer

2612 Delaware Avenue Springfield, IL 62702

2. Team Roster : - Dead I ine of October 31. Perla I ty for fa i lure to slbni t by dead l ine: disqualification lIltil submitted plus $50 . 00 fine if sub-mi t ted by November 30. I f submi t ted after November 30, disqualification (rem postseason play. Team representatives are requested to enter the full address (street, city, state & zip code) of each player on the roster. Send directly to: Office of the Connissioner, 110 Seaton Sui Iding , University of Kentucky , Lexington, KY 40506- 0219.

3. listing of COnference Officers : The deadline is Cktober 31 but the sooner each conference, through its res­ponsib le officer (President, Secretary or Assistant Connissioner) submits the I isting, the sooner the Nr\BtI.. Di rectory can be put together and publ i shed to everyone's benef it. A more important factor is related to corrm.n i ca t i ons - ¥IE! need the name and address of every officer and team representative who should be receiving the Nr\BtI.. Newsletter .

4. Conference SchedJle: This should be slbni t ted to the Off i ce of the Conni ss i oner as soon as it has been compi led. This is extremely important in regard to systematizing game results as they come in and as the 1988- 89 season progresses.

Other deadl ines that are ident i fied in the r-.M84.Constitution, Bylaws and Executive Regulations are:

Jaruary 15 - WIst day for sLbni tt ing nom inations for individJals to be indJcted into the NM?A Ha II of Fane. Stbnit noninations to Saul Welger , Chaiman, i'Mt3A Hal I of Fane, 80 AverxJe P, Brooklyn, NY 11204

Jaruary 15 - WIst day for slbnitting proposed arnendnents to the playing rules of the Nr\BA to be considered at the 1989 amua I meet ing. Subni t proposa I s to Ra Iph Smi th, Cha i nnan, NM?A Rules Carmittee, Recreation & Parks Department, 5- 203 t-lman Develop­ment Sui Iding, Renn State Univers i ty, University Park, PA 16802 .

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January 15 - As called for in the NM?A COnstitution, the office of the Secretary of the NM?A is to be elected in 1989 . /'Ibninations should be submitted to the chainmn of the Nominations Conmittee. Lew Shaver, Bellows 122 , Southwest State University, Marshall,!\oN 56258

February 1 - WIst day for slbnitting proposals to amend the f\MB6.. Constitution. Stbnit proposals to Detbie Dillon, Secretary of the f\MB6.., 5661 &.Itano Way, Rockland, C".A 95677 .

March 1 - WIst day for submitting proposals to anend the Bylaws of the~. Subni t proposals to Debbie Oil lon, Secretary of the NM3A, 5661 &.Itano Way, Rockland, C".A 95677.

Wfl ~ DES I rns Sl...PFU<IS U. S. TEAV5

A large thank you frem the Nr'.eA. goes out to Motion Designs, Inc., and particularly to Wayne KtrIishige, Vice President of Sales, for the offer to furnish the U.S. wheelchair basketba I I teams - both men and 'M:Il'en - wi th comprehensive repair parts kits in order to keep the players' equipment fully tuned for the carpetitions in Seoul, Korea. The support is appreciated!

<Il.R.'£E SR:NSffi JR. lU.RI'£Y

The Courage Center's 6th hnJal JlIlior Vflee I cha i r Basketba II Tournament wi I I be held at Carrp Courage in Maple lake. MIl November 11-13, 1988. FOr further infor­rmtion, contact Karyl t-beger, Tournament Directo r at 3915 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley, MIl 55422. Telephone (612) 588- 0811.

ERASILE RECEIVES ro BI F ~

Frank Brasi Ie, Assistant Connissioner of the Central Intercollegiate COnference has relocated to Oreha where he is an Assistant Professor in Recreation at the University of Nebraska. Frank was a fonner coach of the Gizz Kids at the University of I I linois and coach of the RictTrond Rebels for a brief period ¥~hi Ie a facul ty merrber at Longwood Co l lege in Fa"..",.i l ie, Vi rginia .

Frank reached a mi lestone in his career this past "'Pri I when he earned the doctorate degree in Recreation at the University of III inois. At the sarre tirre, he was honored

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by the hrer i can All i ance for Hea I th, Physical EdJeation, Recreation and rance with his selection as recipient of the prestigious Tommy Wi I son Award for 1987-88 in recognition of his contributions to the disabled in recreation and physical edJcation programning.

Congratulations go to Frank with our best wishes for continuing success in his professional career.

APPLICATICNS RR 1990 U.S. WEN'S TEA\1 o:l'Ol

AI though j t rray seem a Ii tt I e early to be thinking about p..Itting together a rren's national team for a ccnpetition in 1990 but that is precisely what the Executive COmmittee wi I I be giving its attention to this month.

The ccnpetition referred to is the WJrld \'theelchair Basketball Olanpionship -oftentimes referred to as the Gold Cup -¥Alich wi II be held in Sruges, Belgiun fran ~st 5 to 12 . The f\MBt\ bylaws require that the head coach of the U.S. team be selected at least 18 months before the dates of the championship.

To that end, notice is rrade to prospective appl icants for the head coache's job to prepare their appl ications . hlyone interested in the position is asked to submit a resume to f\MBt\ President Tv'ervin Lapicola v.ho wi II chair the 5-person Coach's Selection Canni ttee. The deadl ine for receipt of Ncminations is actually JaRJilry 1 after v-nich the esc wi II a~e its selection on February 1, 1989.

The extended time period for the appointment is intended to enable the coach to give the widest consideration to the best prospects ava! lable in NI6\ ccnpetit!on prior to their final selection. hl open tryout canp will be held in the sunner of 1989 and a final tryout wi II be arranged for Tv'ey or JlI'Ie of 1990.

Th'M N.M3ERS IIfllEASE

The prognosis for increasing membership in the NWBA for the 1988- 89 season ranges from good to excel lent as recent developments foretel I. The reorganization and reentry of two, old- I ine franchises in particular, bode \\ell for an expanding membership. They are: the St. lDuis Roll ing Rams v.ho dropped out of the Midwest Conference after the 1986- 87 season but v.ho are now revitalized and enthusiastic about returning to Conference cmpetition; and the Detroit Sparks vmo have regrettably found themselves in limbo in the past couple of years but relieved and excited now to be part of a conference once aga in. The Sparks wi II be in the Central Division of the 12- team, 3-division Lake Ontario Conference. The Roll ing Rams, a charter rrerber of the N!\BA in 1949, won the national title in three of the Association's first four years. The Sparks, founded in 1962, have claimed seven national charrpionships and four n.lYler-up spots in the 18 years since. Proud traditions, both.

Fran various sources comes infonmtion that several other teams - new and old - wi II be f\MBt\ rrerbers in 1988-89: Fort Smith, Arkansas, accepted into membership along with Wichita, Kansas in the Arkansas Valley Conference; Montreal, ~bec, which can trace its roots back to the ear Iy '50s v.tlen it was the only team in Canada and vd'Iich sLbsequently'MIs invited to participate in the 6th I'MBT in New York in 1954 and now has been accepted into the Lake Ontario Conference; Circle City Knight Riders of Indianapol is who have been accepted as a rnerrber of the Mid-hrerica Conference; the Glass City Garrblers of Toledo with a nucleus of fonrer Si Iver Streaks, accepted into the Mid-hrerica Conference; the four teams ment ioned above (p.4) that are part of the newly organized Keystone Conference; and Colorado Springs, ..waich fanned a second team in the city and will play in the Rocky Mx.ntain Conference in the caning season.

Balanced against this is the news that at least one team - the Capital Cornection of the Capi ta I Conference - has di sbanded for the 1988-89 season. we have not heard of any others contemplating the same fate.

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sa::r H:W.L "IU.I<N'NfNr 5115 10 BE aNFllMD

Vihen the call went out wring the arnJal rreeting in Kansas City in Werch for prospective hosts for the 1989 sectional tournaments, a limitednurber of responses were heard. Q, the basis of al r responses to date, these are the teams or conferences that have bid on the postseason tournarnents:

Mict.vest - Denver I'Uggets South - North Florida Renegades

(Gainesville); Dallas Texans East - Twin Ci ty Spirners

(Kitchener, Ontario) Far west - Southern california COnference (Los Angeles area)

The Executive Cannittee wi II review the bids and decide on the location of each sectional during the mid-year meeting in SchatJ'1"b.Jrg, III inois. July 22-23. The sectional tournarrents wi II be held on the weekend of !Verch 17-19.

Q-W..l..lN:;C UP

The Olallenge G4J for 1988 went to the Casa Col ina Condors v.ho subsequent Iy reigled sl4>rerre in the 40th Nr'BT played in Kansas City, March 2S and 26.

The ChI J lenge Cup is current Iy played arong e i rp t metrbe r t earns 0 f the Nft86. that agree to a prearranged schedule of tournarrents thrOtJ!tlout the season wi th points awarded on the basis of wins and losses and leading to a ranked, single el iminat ion tournament for the chanpion­ship! Membership in the series is controlled entirely by the rrerber teams. TIle 1987-88 rnerrber teams were : Alberta r-.brthern Lights, Casa Col ina Condors, Dallas Mlvericks, Fresno Red Rollers, Golden State 76ers, Long Beach Flying Wheels, Los Angeles Stars and Sioux Ytheelers. Each of the teams is ranked by "Sports 'n Spokes" arrong the ~'s top 20 .

1he organization, as represented by the narre "Olallenge~" is not an official entity of the NMl'.. Although it borrows frem ~ playing rules, the Ola [Ienge ~ incorporates rules SOCl'leM1at closer to the f'.BA. than those of the J'ICAA l4JOI1 v.nich Nt6\. rules are based. 1he experimentation should prove interesting

in the long run.

We have not heard of Olallenge ~ plans for the 1988- 89 season but wil I pub! icize them once received in this office.

U.s. OWCES RR (lJI.l) 1 N 1 988 ARE am

~t are the chances of each of the men's and ....oren's teams caning away with the gold medal in the 1988 Paralynpic Games to be held in Seoul , Korea?

For the men, it is excellent. With a roster made I..p in the majori ty of seasoned veterans of international competition, it should be hard to beat. In recent years, and particularly errphasizing v.orld chanpionship competitions (the Gold~) as opposed to Paralynpic competitions, the U.S. team has proven to be unbeatable. In off~ld ~ years, the character of U.S. teams has suffered mainly fran the strict unavai labi lity of some of the top players in the country. TIlose teams (1984- 86) have perfonred well but did not represent entirely the full potential of the sport as it has developed in the U.S. 1he 1988 team is designed to overcome this shortcoming.

TIle WQf'I'en' s program, on the other hand, has come into its own in recent years. W:>efully behind the programs developed in Argent ina, I srae I and Gennany thrOl.J!tlout the 70's, the U.S. WOO'IeO have gained considerable ground in the past two or three years to rank arrong the very best. This was rnade evident in 1986 ..nen the U.S. 'MlII'en cia imed the si Iver medal behind peremial world chanpion West Gennany at the Stoke Mlndevi lie competitions. Now, with Sharon Hedrick back in the I ineup after a several-year absence to team I..p wi th Susan Hagel, Wary kn O'Nei II, and newcomer Deb St.ndennan, the U.S. v.t:lIT'ens' chances of gaining the gold medal have improved immeasurably. The future looks b";g,t.

1 NTffiN'ITI<N\L AFFAI RS

a, the international front, these develop­ments have attracted attention over the past year:

Dordrecht Racing of I-blland won the Eurocl4> competition for club teams played in Berck, France, Way 6- 8. They beat the host team, Berek, 75- 73. The Eurocup is the equivalent of the men's NWBT. Dordrecht

-9-

visited the U.S. in February of this year, losing only to Toledo and (land Rapids twice.

Dr. Cairbre IYcCam of Portland, Weine, a long- tirre menDer of the /'WAA ~ical Advisory Board, has resigned his position as Chainmen of the ~ical Classification Committee of the ISMGF. effective with the quadrennial rreeting of the ISMGF in Seoul, Korea in OCtober, 1988. Dr. MCCann, a significant contributor to the NWBA's revision of its classification system in 1978-79, admitted in his resiglation report to the ISM:F that his disenchantment with developments in recent years in the politics of classification -particularly in basketball - led to his res iglat ion. He ren'llins involved in wheelchair sports as a newly elected merrber of the governing board of the NMA.

Dr. Bob SZ)T"Bn of Courage Center in Colden Valley, ~ and head coach of the comprehensive U.S. team entered in the Stoke Wendevi lie Carres over the past 8 years, has been naninated for merrbership to the Executive Coomittee of the IS\U". The election of the 16 member Coomittee wi II take place at the quadrennial meeting of the IS\CF Ux.1ci I of Nations in Seoul, Korea in OCtober. The U.S. has not had a full - fledged merrber of the Executive Committee since 198q when Ben Lipton, fOt.rlder of the NN.AA was denied reelection after t¥.O decades of merrbersh i p on the international rul ing body. SZ)T"Bn had had a cons iderable irrpact on the developrent of wheelchair basketball in the U.S. - first as a coach at the University of II I inois and secondly in his role as Director of Physical Education and Recreation at Courage Center 'Ahere he has rTBS ter-mi nded the deve I opnent of a I'UT'ber of men's and WCI'IIm'S teams over the past 10 years. His election to the Executive Coomittee will siglal a resurgance of U.S. influence in inter­national circles ....nich is long needed.

The Executive Comnittee of the Basket­ball Section of the 1S\tF, chaired for the last 12 years by NWBA Commissioner, Stan Labanowich. has declared an intent to integrate the sport into the Olympic rrovetrent. This means in effect, that

wheelchair basketball will be a medal event in the st.mner games and not just a derronstration or exhibition event as proposed in some circles. The final resolution of this effort may not come about soon but there is no stopping It at thi s point.

R.N:6 REQ.£STID m AID U. S. 'TE'MS

The budget for the men's and 'IIIIOrTen IS

whee I cha i r basketba I I teams entered in the 1988 Paralympic Games amounts to $62,QOO. This includes travel, unifonms, training expenses, entry fees and on- site acc~tions among various other expenses. Broken down on a per person basis, each NttBA athlete is asked to raise $2,600. Some players, connected with lTDf'lied sources of one kind or another, wi II have little trouble raising that CIfl'OISIt. A larger I'UT'ber wi 1/ have di fficulty caning ~ with the CIfl'OISIt necessary to fund their participation in Korea.

This then, is a plea to the merrbership to assist in the effort to raise funds for the Nr\BA, rren ' s and warren's teams. A contribution of $100.00 or rrore per merrber team wi II safeguard strong f'.ME'A representat ion in the Paralympic Ganes. We need your s~rt and ask that checks be ITBde out to the Nr\BI\ and sent to the Treasurer, George Veenstra, at 2612 Delaware Avenue, Springfield. IL 62702.

Any individual interested in supporting the U. S. team effort and attending the 1988 Paralympic Games in Korea in person rTBy do so by contributing $5,000 to the Nr\BA,. Travel and lodging wi II be covered by the f't\B!\. The deta i I s of such an arrangement l1'IIIy be obtained by contacting Nr\BA. President ~rvin Lapicola at (312) 885-6691 (¥.Ork) or (312) 88Q-1706 (home), as soon as possible.