Grafton PCYC will play host to the second Interschools Wheelchair Basketball and Goalball Tournament on Tuesday 3 December in celebration of International day of People with Disability (IDPwD). Organised by not-for-profit NDIS partner Social Futures and the Clarence Valley Council, the tournament gives school students an opportunity to try their hand at ‘sport on wheels’, while raising awareness, acceptance and understanding of the 5.5 million Australians living with disability.
Grafton PCYC will play host to the second Interschools Wheelchair Basketball and Goalball Tournament on Tuesday 3 December in celebration of International day of People with Disability (IDPwD).
Organised by not-for-profit NDIS partner Social Futures and the Clarence Valley Council, the tournament gives school students an opportunity to try their hand at ‘sport on wheels’, while raising awareness, acceptance and understanding of the 5.5 million Australians living with disability. The Grafton PCYC is an accessible venue where students, teachers, supporters and community members interested in finding out more about accessible recreational activities can join the fun and enjoy a BBQ lunch.
Social Futures Team Leader, Capacity Building & Engagement, Damien Becker said,
“There will be plenty of friendly rivalry during the Politicians versus All Stars exhibition game kicking off at 9am, as some local identities try their hand at wheelchair sports for the very first time.”
This year’s United Nations IDPwD theme, Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future, led Mr Becker to praise skills developed through sport that can benefit players on and off the field.
“Playing sport is not only a great way to make new friends and have some fun, but an opportunity to develop leadership skills like strategic thinking and adaptability while learning to work effectively as part of a team.”
“It’s about recognising the individual skills and experience that each person brings to the game and understanding how to support that. It’s the same in the workplace and in life.”
A key organiser of the inaugural event held last year, Grafton-based Social Futures NDIS local area coordinator Jason Kingsley is delighted the tournament has become an annual fixture, saying
“I’m thrilled to see everyone’s hard work come to fruition. Maclean High School took home the trophy last year and they’ve already laid down the challenge to the other schools competing this year.”
Wheelchair tennis Paralympian and Social Futures NDIS local area coordinator, David Johnson, will be on hand to officiate the tournament and share valuable on-court tips with players.
“It’s quite a challenge learning how to manoeuvre a wheelchair – especially if you’re trying to move quickly – and last year it sparked some great conversations about inclusiveness, accessibility and how we can all contribute to removing barriers for people with disability,” said Mr Johnson.
“It was fantastic last year seeing all the students give these highly skilled sports a go. Teams were competitive but played in great spirit.”
Clarence Valley Council Mayor, Ray Smith, is thrilled the region is once again hosting one of the only events of its kind in Australia.
“Clarence Valley Council has worked hard with Social Futures and local schools to develop the tournament into a showcase event,” said Mayor Smith.
“The inaugural event last year was a huge success, and this year it’s shaping up to be even bigger as we continue to improve accessibility and encourage diversity and inclusion in the broader community.”
NDIS partner Social Futures delivers the Pathways to Play program to help people with disability find out about and try disability sport and recreation activities.
For more information visit https://socialfutures.org.au/service/pathways-to-play/ or call 1800 719 625.
Media and interview enquiries: Kylie Perrett | [email protected] | 0427 556 892
