Fun, games and a new understanding

A wheelchair basketball round robin hosted by Monash Sport in conjunction with Disability Sport and Recreation (DSR) is aimed at raising awareness about living with a disability.

The tournament began last year with medicine students Jennifer Tang and Jarrel Seah working with Monash Sport to raise disability awareness among all Monash University students.

Jennifer Tang, now in the third year of her medicine degree at Bendigo Regional Hospital, said the event had grown considerably since 2011.

“We had a great response from people interested in being part of the day and we ended up having to cut off submissions once we had nine teams,” Jennifer said.

“Andrew Browning from DSR provided coaching and umpired the games. Andrew has been a paraplegic since he was 32 and has accomplished some amazing things, including a world ranking in wheelchair tennis and wheelchair table tennis.”

Nine teams of Monash students from the medicine and engineering faculties took part enthusiastically in the event.

“Andrew gave a quick coaching session on how to use the wheelchairs and then the games began. This year Luke’s Gun Show, a team of first-year medicine students, came first and the Avengineers, an engineering team, placed second,” Jennifer said.

“It was a very close game and we ended up having to go into an overtime penalty shootout to confirm a winner.”

Jennifer said first year medicine students Nicholas Tang and Francis Ha had joined herself and Jarrel in organising the event and had been a fantastic help.

“The day was a great success and it wouldn’t have been possible without DSR providing the wheelchairs, refereeing and coaching. A big thank you also goes to Monash Sport for providing the merchandise that was given as prizes on the day,” Jennifer said.

The wheelchair basketball round robin event is just one of the para-events Monash Sport will be hosting in the lead up to the London 2012 Paralympics. Andrew Browning is part of the 2012 Table Tennis Paralympic Squad.