(Toronto, Ont.) Canada has reached the podium at the previous six Paralympic Games, including winning gold at the London 2012 Paralympics, and on October 1st the launch of the world’s first full-time, year-round, daily training environment for high performance wheelchair basketball athletes at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) will ensure Canada remains a world leader.
Wheelchair Basketball Canada (WBC) is inviting media to the launch of this groundbreaking initiative led by Head Coach / Academy Director Mike Frogley, who is widely considered the brightest mind in the game. It is a homegrown solution designed to train the next generation of elite athletes in their pursuit of gold at future world championships and Paralympic Games, including the 2014 Women’s World Championship in Toronto, the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games, the Rio 2016 Paralympic Summer Games and beyond.
What: Launch of the Wheelchair Basketball Canada Academy
- The world’s first full-time, year-round daily training environment for high performance wheelchair basketball athletes
Who:
- Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport)
- Government of Ontario Representative (tbc)
- Karen O’Neill, CEO, Canadian Paralympic Committee
- Wendy Gittens, Executive Director, WBC
- Mike Frogley, Head Coach / Academy Director, WBC
- Scott McRoberts, Athletics Director, UTSC
- Tyler Miller, London 2012 Gold Medalist / Academy Athlete and other elite wheelchair basketball athletes
When: Tuesday October 1, 2013
- Open practice starting at 8:00 a.m. ET
- Athlete Interview Availability 8:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET
- Press Conference from 9:05 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. ET
- Additional Interviews as needed 9:35 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET
Where: University of Toronto Scarborough Campus – Athletics and Recreation Centre (1265 Military Trail Toronto, Ontario)
Media Information: please contact Jody Kingsbury, Marketing & Communications manager at jkingsbury@wheelchairbasketball.ca or (ph.): 613-260-1296 ext. 204 or (cell): 613-851-2337 in advance for interviews by phone or on site.
About Wheelchair Basketball Canada
Wheelchair Basketball Canada is the national sports governing body responsible for the organization of wheelchair basketball in Canada. It is a non-profit, charitable organization that is the Canadian member to the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF).
Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced, hard-hitting, competitive sport that has emerged as one of the most competitive and athletic sports played at the Paralympic Games. Our senior national teams are held in high esteem around the world for the elite skill and control that placed them on the podium with a combined six gold, one silver, and one bronze medal in the last six Paralympic Games.