Richard Peter
Biography
Richard “Bear” Peter began playing wheelchair basketball at age 15 after a team came to his school and introduced him to wheelchair sports. He has been using a wheelchair since being injured in a bus accident at four years old.
Peter became a staple of Team Canada since first making the Senior Men’s National Team in 1994. His athletic repertoire includes back-to-back Paralympic gold medals in 2000 and 2004, a Paralympic silver medal in 2008, a third Paralympic gold medal in 2012, and a world championship title in 2006.
He retired from the National Team following the 2012 season.
Peter was also a key component of a dominant British Columbia provincial team that won five consecutive national championship titles. He also won a national title in the United States.
Along with Team Canada teammate Joey Johnson, Peter is the second Canadian athlete to be recruited by and play for RSV – Lahn Dill – a professional wheelchair basketball team in Germany. Peter also played professionally in Italy.
Peter is known for his tenacity, dedication and focus. A true teammate and a positive leader on and off the court, Peter makes himself available to provide advice, feedback and mentoring to younger players. An ambassador for the game and for Canada, Peter exemplifies fair play and sportsmanship. He credits intensive training and a commitment to continuously study the game as keys to his success.
That success has been recognized off the basketball court. In 2000, Peter received the Tom Longboat National Award for Aboriginal Male Athlete of the Year. In 2008, he was named Wheelchair Basketball Canada’s Male Athlete of the Year. In 2010, he was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame, and in 2012, he received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award for his outstanding athletic accomplishments.
Interesting Facts
- His personal motto is “You’re not always here for a long time, so make it a good time”
- He is a member of the Cowichan Tribes of British Columbia and was the only First Nations athlete on Canada’s Paralympic Team in Beijing
- “Chiefs and Champions” is a 2007 documentary about Peter’s career and successes as a wheelchair basketball athlete
Awards / Highlights
- Named BC Wheelchair Basketball Society Male Athlete of the Year (2013)
- Received Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012)
- Received National Aboriginal Achievement Award (2012)
- Named to the 2004-2006, 2009, 2010 National Championships tournament all-star team
- Inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame (2010)
- Named Wheelchair Basketball Canada Male Athlete of the Year (2008)
- Named Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association (CWSA) Male Athlete of the Year (2007)
- Canadian Sport Award for Male Team of the Year (2004)
- Received Tom Longboat National Award for Aboriginal Male Athlete of the Year (2000)
Major International Competition
| Tournament | [medal, rank=1 size=’small’] | [medal, rank=2 size=’small’] | [medal, rank=3 size=’small’] | Other |
| Paralympic Games: 5 | 3 (’12,’04,’00) | 1 (’08) | 5th (’96) | |
| World Championships: 5 | 1 (’06) | 0 | 3 (’02, ’98, ’94) | 7th (’10) |
Statistics
Paralympic Games
*As of 2000
| Year | GP | Min | M/G | Field Goals | 3Pts | Free Throws | Rebounds | AS | TO | ST | BS | PF | FO | PTS | P/G | |||||
| M/A | % | M/A | % | M/A | % | OR | DR | TOT | ||||||||||||
| 2012 | 8 | 136 | 16:56 | 18/37 | 49 | 0/0 | – | 10/15 | 67 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 12 | 46 | 5.8 |
| 2008 | 8 | 235 | 29:23 | 39/77 | 51 | 0/0 | – | 9/18 | 50 | 14 | 27 | 41 | 8 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 23 | 20 | 87 | 10.9 |
| 2004 | 8 | 198 | 24:44 | 29/62 | 47 | 0/0 | – | 12/26 | 46 | 16 | 19 | 35 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 18 | 23 | 70 | 8.8 |
| 2000 | 8 | 111 | 13:51 | 12/31 | 39 | 0/1 | 0 | 13/20 | 65 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 19 | – | 37 | 4.6 |
| TOTAL | 32 | 680 | 21:15 | 98/207 | 47 | 0/1 | 0 | 44/79 | 56 | 40 | 68 | 108 | 44 | 37 | 26 | 3 | 74 | 55 | 240 | 7.5 |
World Championships
*As of 2000
| Year | GP | Min | M/G | Field Goals | 3 Pts | Free Throws | Rebounds | AS | TO | ST | BS | PF | FO | PTS | P/G | |||||
| M/A | % | M/A | % | M/A | % | OR | DR | TOT | ||||||||||||
| 2010 | 8 | 229 | 28:38 | 45/71 | 63 | 0/1 | 0 | 7/18 | 38 | 10 | 26 | 36 | 39 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 17 | 18 | 97 | 12.1 |
| 2006 | 8 | 251 | 31:21 | 43/72 | 59 | 0/0 | – | 14/26 | 53 | 11 | 23 | 34 | 4 | 15 | 14 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 100 | 12.5 |
| 2002 | 8 | 73 | 13:50 | 10/21 | 47 | 0/0 | – | 5/7 | 71 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 25 | 3.1 |
| TOTAL | 24 | 553 | 23:03 | 98/164 | 60 | 0/1 | 0 | 29/51 | 51 | 28 | 59 | 87 | 47 | 30 | 29 | 0 | 52 | 18 | 222 | 9.9 |
Legend: GP = Games Played; Min = Minutes; M/G = Minutes per Game; M/A = Made / Attempted; OR = Offensive Rebounds; DR = Defensive Rebounds; TOT = Total; AS = Assists; TO = Turn Overs; ST = Steals; BS = Blocked Shots;PF = Personal Foul; FO = Foul On; PTS = Points; P/G = Points per Game
Competitive Experience
| Level | Team | Location | Year(s) |
| International | Canada (SMNT) | Canada | 1994-2012 |
| Club (domestic) | Douglas Colllege | British Columbia | – |
| Club (domestic) | Elecom Lottomatica Roma | Rome (Italy) | 2010-2011 |
| Club (domestic) | RSV Lahn-Dill | Wetzlar (Germany) | 2008-2010 |
| Club (domestic) | British Columbia Cable Cars | British Colombia | 2007-2008 |
Career Notes
2012: 1st place at Paralympic Games in London, England (Team Canada)… Received National Aboriginal Achievement Award… 2nd place at National Championships with Team British Columbia in Richmond, BC (domestic)… 1st place at Continental Clash tournament in Worcester, England (Team Canada)… 2nd place at Papendal Tournament in Arnhem, Netherlands (Team Canada)…
2011: 3rd place at International Tournament of Champions in Charlotte, USA (Team Canada)… 1st place at BT Paralympic Cup in Manchester, UK (Team Canada)… 1st place at National Championships with Team British Columbia in Longueuil, QC (domestic)…
2010: 7th place at World Championships in Manchester, UK (Team Canada)… 2nd place at BT Paralympic Cup in Manchester, UK (Team Canada)… 3rd place at North American Cup in Birmingham, USA (Team Canada)… 1st place at National Championships with Team British Columbia & named All-Star in Saskatoon, SK (domestic)… Inducted into British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame…
2009: 2nd place at Americas Cup Qualifier in Richmond, BC (Team Canada)… 2nd place at Rollers World Challenge in Australia (Team Canada)… 1st place at National Championships with Team British Columbia & named All-Star in Montreal, QC (domestic)…
2008: 2nd place at Paralympic Games in Beijing, China (Team Canada)… 2nd place at North American Cup in Birmingham, USA (Team Canada)… 1st place at Pre-Paralympic Test Series in Osnabrück, Germany (Team Canada)… 1st place at Good Luck Beijing Invitational Tournament in Beijing, China (Team Canada)… 1st place NWBA Division I National Championships with British Columbia Cable Cars & named All-Star in Lexington, USA (domestic)… 1st place at National Championships with Team British Columbia & named MVP in Vancouver, BC (domestic)… Named Wheelchair Basketball Canada Male Athlete of the Year…
2007: 2nd place at Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Team Canada)… 1st place at VISA Paralympic Cup in Manchester, UK (Team Canada)… Inducted into Wheelchair Basketball Canada Hall of Fame as a member of the 2006 World Championship gold medal-winning Canadian Men’s National Team (Team Canada)… 2nd place at NWBA Final Four Championship with the British Columbia Cable Cars in Lexington, USA (domestic)… 1st place at National Championships with Team British Columbia & named All-Star in Winnipeg, MB (domestic)… Named Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association Male Athlete of the Year…
2006: 1st place at World Championships in Amsterdam, Netherlands (Team Canada)… 1st place at Paralympic Cup in Manchester, UK (Team Canada)… 1st place at Osaka Cup in Osaka, Japan (Team Canada)… 2nd place at National Championships with Team British Columbia & named All-Star in Kitchener, ON (domestic)…
2005: 1st place at Americas Qualification Tournament in Colorado, USA (Team Canada)… Won Paralympic Sport Award for Best Team Performance as a member of the 2004 Paralympic gold medal-winning Canadian Men’s National Team (Team Canada)… 2nd place at National Championships with Team British Columbia & named All-Star in Winnipeg, MB (domestic)…
2004: 1st place at Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece (Team Canada)… 1st place at North American Cup in Birmingham, USA (Team Canada)… 2nd place at Roosevelt World Basketball Challenge in Warm Springs, USA (Team Canada)… Won Canadian Sport Award for Male Team of the Year as a member of the Canadian Men’s National Team for their efforts at the 2004 Paralympic Games… (Team Canada)… 3rd place at National Championships with Team British Columbia & named All-Star in Vancouver, BC (domestic)… 3rd place at CWBL Open Finals with Douglas College Lions & named All-Star in Fredericton, NB (domestic)…
2003: 1st place at Parapan American Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina (Team Canada)… 1st place at Roosevelt World Basketball Challenge in Warm Springs, USA (Team Canada)… Named BC Wheelchair Basketball Society Male Athlete of the Year…
2002: 3rd place at World Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan (Team Canada)… 1st place at Americas Qualification Tournament in Vitória, Brazil (Team Canada)… 1st place at Roosevelt World Basketball Challenge in Warm Springs, USA (Team Canada)… 2nd place at National Championships with Team British Columbia & named All-Star in Montreal, QC (domestic)…
2001: 1st place at National Championships with Team British Columbia & named All-Star in Toronto, ON (domestic)…
2000: 1st place at Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia (Team Canada)… 1st place at Pre-Paralympic Test Series in Amsterdam, Netherlands (Team Canada)… 1st place at Roosevelt World Basketball Challenge in Warm Springs, USA (Team Canada)… 1st place at National Championships with Team British Columbia & named All-Star in Edmonton, AB (domestic)… Received Tom Longboat National Award for Aboriginal Male Athlete of the Year…
1999: 2nd place at Parapan American Games in Mexico City, Mexico (Team Canada)…
1998: 3rd place at World Championships in Sydney, Australia (Team Canada)… 2nd place at Americas Qualification Tournament in Winnipeg, MB (Team Canada)… 3rd place at National Championships with Team British Columbia in Winnipeg, MB (domestic)…
1997: 1st place at National Championships with Team British Columbia in Vancouver, BC (domestic)…
1996: 5th place at Paralympic Games in Atlanta, USA (Team Canada)… 2nd place at National Championships with Team British Columbia in Montreal, QC (domestic)…
1995: 1st place at Qualification Tournament in Buenos Aires, Argentina (Team Canada)… 3rd place at National Championships with Team British Columbia in Saskatoon, SK (domestic)…
1994: 3rd place at World Championships in Edmonton, AB (Team Canada)…
1993: 2nd place at National Championships in Edmonton, AB (domestic)…
1992: 2nd place at National Championships in Ottawa, ON (domestic)…