Wheelchair Sports NSW

Wheelchair Sports NSW is the peak New South Wales sports organisation that assists people with disabilities ranging from spinal cord injury, spina bifida, amputation, paraplegia, quadriplegia to other similar disabling conditions. The organisation was established as the Paraplegic Sports Club, a section of the Paraplegic Association of NSW (also known as ParaQuad) in October 1961. It offers a range of sports programs, facilities and financial support from beginners to Paralympians.

History

In April 1961, the Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Association of NSW (later known as ParaQuad NSW) as established to create opportunities for people with a spinal disability. In October 1961, the Paraplegic Sports Club of NSW, a section of the Association was formed with the foundation members being Kevin Betts, Ashley Coops, Trevor French, Daphne Hilton and Bruce Thwaite. They were later joined by Eric Magennis and Harold Squires. The Association viewed sport as rehabilitation in its formative years.[1] In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Club made a transition from a sports club to a structured statewide organization and in January 1987 it became the NSW Wheelchair Sports Association.[2] In 2006, it changed its name from NSW Wheelchair Sports Association Inc. to Wheelchair Sports NSW (WS NSW).[2] To celebrate 50 years of operation in 2011, the book Pushing Strong was published.

Services

Sports

It supports the following sports: archery, wheelchair basketball, cue sports, fencing, hand cycling lawn bowls, powerlifting, wheelchair rugby, shooting, swimming, wheelchair tennis and track and field.[2]

Facilities

The Kevin Betts Stadium (known as the Coca-Cola Stadium until 1992) was opened on 13 May 1986. The Association received support from Coca-Cola, Blacktown City Council, Rotary Club of Holroyd and Rotaract in its construction.[1]

Events

Wheelchair Sports NSW has managed several major events including:[2]

Notable NSW Wheelchair Paralympians

Selected NSW high achieving wheelchair athletes:[1]

gollark: How does that work?
gollark: What if I make my program do THREE nested loops?
gollark: That is a terrible idea.
gollark: ++delete users
gollark: I mean, users are so *annoying* and *demanding*.

Further reading

References
  1. Smith, Jeanette (2011). Pushing strong : celebrating fifty years of wheelchair sports NSW 1961–2011. Sydney: Playright. ISBN 9780980666694.
  2. "History of WS NSW". Wheelchair Sports NSW website. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
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