(Ottawa, Ont.) Wheelchair Basketball Canada (WBC) would like to congratulate former president Maureen Orchard on being among the 2017 class of inductees into the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame. Orchard will be inducted in the builder category at a ceremony on April 7, 2017 in Ottawa, Ont.
“Maureen has been a dedicated leader and a driving force behind the international growth and development of wheelchair basketball,” said Wheelchair Basketball Canada Executive Director Wendy Gittens. “We are grateful for her unparalleled contributions to the sport and to the Paralympic movement in Canada. We extend our congratulations to all of the 2017 Hall of Fame inductees.”
“Maureen has been a dedicated leader and a driving force behind the international growth and development of wheelchair basketball. We are grateful for her unparalleled contributions to the sport and to the Paralympic movement in Canada.”
Orchard, a native of Winnipeg, Man., served as president of the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) from 2002-2014, where she championed the ongoing development of wheelchair basketball across all four international zones. Amongst her accomplishments, Orchard helped establish enhanced opportunities for junior athletes and women, including the introduction of the inaugural U25 Women’s World Wheelchair Basketball Championship in 2011. Prior to concluding her term as president in 2014, the IWBF celebrated the worldwide growth of the game with the two largest world championships in history including the women’s world championship hosted by Wheelchair Basketball Canada in Toronto.
Orchard remains actively involved as the secretary general for the IWBF. She also served as president of the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Association (CWBA) – now Wheelchair Basketball Canada – from 1993 to 1998. She was inducted into the CWBA Hall of Fame as a builder in 1998.
As a lifelong volunteer, Orchard has taken on many leadership roles within the basketball community, serving as president, vice-president, treasurer, director, coach and referee for a number of key sport organizations, including the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association, the CWBA, the Canadian Paralympic Committee, Canada Basketball, Basketball Manitoba, and FIBA.
Orchard will be inducted alongside athlete Karolina Wisniewski (para-alpine skiing), multi-sport coach Ozzie Sawicki and parasport builders Archie Allison and Carla Qualtrough, Canada’s Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. .
The Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame recognizes and celebrates those who have made a significant contribution to the growth and development of the Paralympic Movement in Canada. These individuals will be acknowledged within the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame Honoured Members section located in the Olympic and Paralympic Gallery at Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary, Alberta.
About the Canadian Paralympic Committee
The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 27 member sports organizations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic Movement. The Canadian Paralympic Committee’s vision is to be the world’s leading Paralympic nation. Its mission is to lead the development of a sustainable Paralympic sport system in Canada to enable athletes to reach the podium at the Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian high performance athletes with a disability and promoting their success, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires all Canadians with a disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organizations. For more information, visit www.paralympic.ca.