NWBA Victory Tour
October 2017
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In our inaugural year, Y4KC partnered with the The National Wheelchair Basketball Association's (NWBA) to sponsor their Victory Tour for the both the men's and women's gold-medal-winning Paralympic wheelchair basketball teams. The Victory Tour symbolized achievement — achievement raised out of aspiration and into inspiration for the disabled community by gold-medal-winning athletes.
Not only did the youth in Y4KC get the opportunity to plan and put on an event, but they also got the opportunity to engage with people with disabilities and to learn about wheelchair basketball. "I didn't know wheelchair basketball was being played at all, let alone at the highest international level until I worked with Y4KC," said Alex Crayon, now Vice-Chair of the Youth Board. "It's things like this that set Y4KC apart from other organizations — not only do we do really impactful service, but we learn a lot as we do it." |
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About Wheelchair Basketball, the NWBA, and the Victory Tour
In 1944, wheelchair basketball was conceived in England by Ludwig Guttmann through the rehabilitation program at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital. The game was known as wheelchair netball. Then, in 1946, right after World War II, wheelchair basketball was first played in the United States in Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals, where World War II veterans were being treated for various injuries, many of which resulted in permanent physical disabilities. The National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) was organized in 1949 by Dr. Timothy Nugent, and wheelchair basketball soon became the number one sport for individuals with disabilities.
Now with over 2,900 members and over 200 teams, the NWBA continues to serve individuals with disabilities for athletes ranging from age six to over age 70. Additionally, the NWBA is responsible for the United States Wheelchair Basketball Teams that represent the United States in the Paralympic Games, ParaPan American Games, and the World Championships. In 2016, the Men’s and Women’s Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball Teams competed at the Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games, and both won gold for the first time since 1988. 2016 also marked the first time all four United States Olympic and Paralympic Teams brought home gold medals.
To celebrate and highlight the victories of the 2016 Men’s and Women’s Paralympic Teams and to assist a Kansas City grassroots program, Y4KC teamed up with the NWBA to sponsor the kickoff event of their national Victory Tour, which was held in major cities all across the country. After a long, exciting weekend, Y4KC raised over $30,000 for wheelchair basketball. All proceeds from the Kansas City event benefitted the NWBA and Midwest Adaptive Sports, a Kansas City-based wheelchair sports program.
Now with over 2,900 members and over 200 teams, the NWBA continues to serve individuals with disabilities for athletes ranging from age six to over age 70. Additionally, the NWBA is responsible for the United States Wheelchair Basketball Teams that represent the United States in the Paralympic Games, ParaPan American Games, and the World Championships. In 2016, the Men’s and Women’s Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball Teams competed at the Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games, and both won gold for the first time since 1988. 2016 also marked the first time all four United States Olympic and Paralympic Teams brought home gold medals.
To celebrate and highlight the victories of the 2016 Men’s and Women’s Paralympic Teams and to assist a Kansas City grassroots program, Y4KC teamed up with the NWBA to sponsor the kickoff event of their national Victory Tour, which was held in major cities all across the country. After a long, exciting weekend, Y4KC raised over $30,000 for wheelchair basketball. All proceeds from the Kansas City event benefitted the NWBA and Midwest Adaptive Sports, a Kansas City-based wheelchair sports program.