CTN partnered with All Sports All People and the Simcoe County District School Board and piloted a week-long wheelchair basketball program from March 27-31, 2017.

The purpose of the event was to increase awareness of adapted sports and improved participation in community adapted programs.

CTN's Recreation Therapist, Kelly Lapham, and All Sports All People Paralympic Athlete Brad Bowden, traveled across Simcoe to visit 600 students at eight different schools to give them the opportunity for students to try a game of wheelchair basketball. Schools in Alliston, Barrie and Midland had the chance to hear Brad's experience with wheelchair sports and learn why wheelchair sports can be fun and inclusive for people of all abilities. One highlight of the day for the students was the chance to see Brad's three Paralympic medals in basketball and sledge hockey! They got to try out sport wheelchairs and play a game of basketball with their peers. 



As the participants left their school gyms not only did they have grins from ear to ear, but they also wrote notes about what the day meant to them. Thank you to the Town of Newmarket, City of Markham and Collingwood Wheelchair Sports Committee for the loan of sport wheelchairs for the week, and of course to All Sports All People for cohosting this important event with us! We know that this kind of program is an effective and interactive way to build awareness of adapted sports and help kids and educators learn how sports can be inclusive for kids of all abilities! 

We look forward to continuing to promote adapted sports throughout the communities of both York and Simcoe through various initiatives with our partners. For more information on this program, please contact Kim Hesketh khesketh@ctnsy.ca.

Here's what some students had to say about the fun event:




For a list of upcoming inclusive recreation programs across Simcoe County and York Region, check our events calendar.