Steve Bialowas
Biography
Stephen Bialowas has been coaching wheelchair basketball since 1985 after discovering the sport while volunteering at Variety Village, an inclusive sport facility in Toronto, Ont. He was drawn to wheelchair basketball by the speed and dynamic nature of the sport, as well as the resiliency of the athletes.
Bialowas is an exceptional leader renowned for his ability to develop some of the top wheelchair basketball talent in Canada. When it comes to coaching, he says he most enjoys “the shared commitment between coach and athlete, the interactive nature of coaching and the fact that learning is infinite.”
Bialowas began coaching with the national program in 2001 as an assistant coach with the Canadian Junior National Team. That year, Team Canada defended its title to win back-to-back gold medals at the world junior championship.
Bialowas also became an assistant coach with the Sr. Women’s National Team. He helped coach the Canadian women to a world championship title in 2002 and a bronze medal at the Paralympic Games in 2004.
In 2005, Bialowas was named the head coach of the Men’s U23 National Team that placed sixth at the world junior championship in Birmingham, UK. He was at the helm once again in 2013.
Interesting Facts
- Bialowas enjoys staying active – he cycles, plays squash and tennis, and is an avid golfer
- He loves animals, especially his German Shepherd JJ, and cooking, his specialty being Chinese cuisine
Awards / Highlights
- Inducted into the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Association Hall of Fame (Team) – 2003
Major International Competition
| Tournament |  |
 |
 |
Other |
| Assistant Coach | ||||
| Paralympic Games: 1 | – | – | 1 (’04) | – |
| World Championships: 1 | 1 (’02) | – | – | – |
Competitive Experience
| Level | Team | Location | Year |
| International | Head Coach, Canada (SMNT) | Canada | 2015-Present |
| International | Head Coach, Canada (JMNT) | Canada | 2005; 2013 |
| International | Assistant Coach, Canada (SWNT) | Canada | 2001-2005 |
| International | Assistant Coach, Canada (JMNT) | Canada | 2001 |
| Club (domestic) | Head Coach, Variety Village | Ontario (Canada) | – |
| Club (domestic) | Coach, Team Ontario | Ontario (Canada) | – |
Career Notes
2016: 11th place at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Head Coach, Team Canada)… 4th Place at Continental Clash in Leicester, Great Britain (Head Coach, Team Canada)… 4th place at Toronto Challenge in Toronto, Canada (Head Coach, Team Canada)…
2015: 2nd place at Parapan American Games in Toronto, Canada(Interim Head Coach, Team Canada)… 2nd place at Americas Challenge in Toronto, Ont. (Interim Head Coach, Team Canada)… 4th place at Lakeshore Cup in Birmingham, Alabama, USA (Interim Head Coach, Team Canada)… 3rd place at CWBL National Championship with Variety Village in Scarborough, Ont. (Head Coach, domestic)…
2014: 4th place at CWBL National Championship with Variety Village in Burlington, Ont. (Head Coach, domestic)…
2013: 6th place at Men’s U23 World Championship in Adana, Turkey (Head Coach, Team Canada)… 1st place at Men’s U23 Americas Zone Qualification Tournament in Mexico City, MEX (Head Coach, Team Canada)…
2012: 1st place at CWBL Open Finals with Variety Village in Charlottetown, PEI (Head Coach, domestic)…
2011: 1st place at CWBL Open Finals with Variety Village in Surrey, BC (Head Coach, domestic)…
2010: 2nd place at CWBL Open Finals with Variety Village in Coquitlam, BC (Head Coach, domestic)…
2008: 3rd place at CWBL Open Finals with Variety Village in Regina, SK (Head Coach, domestic)…
2007: 2nd place at Canada Games with Team Ontario in Whitehorse, Yukon (Head Coach, domestic)… 1st place at CWBL Open Finals with Variety Village in Quebec City, QC (Head Coach, domestic)…
2005: 6th place at Men’s U23 World Championship in Birmingham, UK (Head Coach, Team Canada)…
2004: 3rd place at Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece (Assistant Coach, Team Canada)… 2nd place at Roosevelt Cup in Warm Springs, Georgia (Assistant Coach, Team Canada)…
2003: 3rd place at Canada Games with Team Ontario in Bathurst, NB (Head Coach, domestic)…
2002: 1st place at World Championship in Kitakyushu, Japan (Assistant Coach, Team Canada)… 2nd place at the Qualifications of Americas Tournament in Vitoria, Brazil (Assistant Coach, Team Canada)…
2001: 1st place at Men’s U23 World Championship in Blumenau, Brazil (Assistant Coach, Team Canada)…
1999: 1st place at Canada Games with Team Ontario in Corner Brook, NL (Head Coach, domestic)…
1995: 3rd place at Canada Games with Team Ontario in Grande Prairie, AB (Head Coach, domestic)…