Teisha Shadwell was awarded the 2019 Sport Access Foundation equipment grant. Her story to wheelchair basketball, and to reaching out to Sport Access Foundation is a remarkable one and a testament to her determination to adapt to significant changes in her life.
Up until her injuries, Teisha was a rising basketball player winning MVP, Grand Finals and starring in the Australian U14 Club Championships for Victoria. Along the way she endured significant injuries which included a broken hand and breaks in both feet. While her hand healed well, unfortunately the devastating breaks included damage to the notoriously difficult to heal navicular bone in both feet left her unable to play able-bodied basketball anymore without risk of permanent disability.
But that’s not to say she can’t play basketball completely.
She was then approached by the Australian coach during the season and has been asked to begin training in Canberra in September at the Australian Institute of Sport in preparation for the 2019 Under-25s World Championships.
“I’m glad it happened – it’s all been worth it. It’s really fun and something different – it’s a lot more challenging and I think it was good to try and do something different,” Shadwell said. “It’s still basketball – which is good – but it’s just a different way of doing it.
“I knew nothing about wheelchair basketball until I got injured and wanted to keep playing – and then I found it.
“It was a bit hard doing that as I’m used to using my legs for my endurance and not my arms,” Shadwell said. “so trying to catch up with everyone took a bit of practice but I’m getting there.”
But what she’s loved most – even compared against her amazing progression and successes so far – has been the support of the wheelchair basketball community and everyone’s willingness to show her the ropes and get her into the sport.
“I think it’s more the community – everyone is welcoming and encouraging and getting around everyone to get involved,” Shadwell said. “Team mates and coaches have been really supportive of me.
“Pretty good – I got taught heaps and it was really good to get thrown in the deep and see how it all works – everything was a highlight, the whole experience and traveling and being part of a team now.”
All this for a girl who has been using a wheelchair for less than a year and playing wheelchair basketball competitively for only six months. To say she is a natural is the greatest understatement on record. Source: Basketball Victoria.
Sport Access Foundation awarded Teisha a $2,000 grant towards the purchase of a customised wheelchair basketball.
Last year Teisha would qualify along with her fellow Goannas (wheelchair women's basketball team) their spot at the Tokyo Paralympics team.
Teisha - a big congratulations from all of us.
Editor notes: Basketball Australia article
Your donation will go towards providing financial assistance and support to enable children with a disability to participate in sporting activities. Every dollar goes direct to the grant recipients to help with the cost of their sport, including modified equipment, carer costs, transport and fees.
