NE students took themselves out of their comfort zone participating in a wheelchair basketball game last week.
University of Texas at Arlington guest coach Doug Garner warmed up the players for the experience in the NHPE gym April 25.
Players learned the basics of the game through Garner’s exercises and drills and quickly caught on, playing a four-on-four pickup game as a class.
Diana Duncan, a first-year NE student, enjoyed the game.
“It was a very cool experience,” she said. “This was a really fun kickboxing class, and we got to do a lot of fun and interesting things that I wouldn’t have been able to do anywhere else.”
Garner has been coaching wheelchair basketball since 1992 when his disabled son showed interest in sports as a child. He said no sports were available for his son to participate in and decided to make a team for his son and other disabled children.
Coach of the University of Texas at Arlington Movin’ Mavs wheelchair basketball team since 1997, Garner also coaches the U.S. national team.
“The game has gone past serving its rehabilitative purposes and expanded to help bring disabled players back into society,” he said.
Becky Garner, the students’ kickboxing instructor, coordinated the event.
“Becky is just great,” said Jean Escabedo. “She makes the classes fun and gets people going, and that’s very important.”
Later in the year, Doug Garner will coach the Army wheelchair basketball team at the Warrior Games, a tournament for the disabled who served in the military. The Movin’ Mavs start their season in the fall.
— Grant Rutherford
