posted October 13, 2008
) LeBron Young plays for the Rebounders. Click to enlarge. |
The Wheelchair Basketball Benefit Game will start at 7 p.m. on Oct. 28, at Red Bank High School’s gym. Tickets to the benefit game are $10.
Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation and Red Bank High School have teamed up to help raise money for the Rebounders, Red Bank High School’s Boys Varsity Basketball Team, and Red Bank High School’s Health Occupations Students of America.
Ranging in age from teenagers to adults in their 60’s, the Rebounders team practices weekly and travels from October to February competing in tournaments nationwide. The Rebounders are a co-ed team open to players with all degrees of physical disability. The rules and levels of physical contact are just like able-bodied college basketball. The only exception is that the chair is part of the players’ body, performing quick moves, sprints, pivots, and body-bumping picks required by the sport.
The Rebounders uniforms, travel expenses, transportation, and equipment are sponsored by Siskin Hospital. Each year Siskin Hospital employees volunteer to sell tickets, T-shirts, and concessions at the Siskin Hospital home tournaments. The benefit game will be the team’s largest fundraising event of the year, and will provide community awareness and education of wheelchair sports. The team hopes to show the competitiveness and skill level of playing wheelchair basketball.
Red Bank High School’s Boys Varsity Basketball team will also rely on this benefit game to raise money for equipment and uniforms. The team will be borrowing sport wheelchairs to use for the game and will have several practices with the Rebounders team leading up to the big game night.
The health occupations students of America at Red Bank High School will also benefit from the game. HOSA is a national student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Science Technology Education Division of the Association for Career and Technical Education. The mission of HOSA is to enhance the delivery of compassionate, quality health care by providing opportunities for knowledge, skill and leadership development of all health science technology education students, therefore, helping students to meet the needs of the health care community. The money raised will help cover costs for students to travel to National HOSA Conferences.
Red Bank High School is hoping to increase student awareness of some of the challenges and accomplishments people with disabilities experience. The Rebounders instill confidence and a sense of camaraderie in its players and continue to expand ideas of what it means to be a disabled athlete. This fast paced, competitive game, compiled with talented athletes, is an example that there is a fun way to get exercise regardless of a disability. This competitive spirit and willingness to make the best of any situation exemplifies the players’ character and Siskin Hospital is honored to be the Rebounders sponsor, officials said.
“If you’ve never been to a wheelchair basketball game, you don’t know what you’ve missed,” said Department Coordinator for Recreational Therapy at Siskin Hospital Lisa Morgan. “ There is unbelievable talent on the floor and the wheelchair basketball games are a fun experience for everyone. We hope you will join us in supporting the Rebounders team, Red Bank High School’s Boys Varsity Basketball team, and the health occupations students of America at Red Bank High School.”
To purchase tickets or for more information on the Wheelchair Basketball Benefit Game, please call Ms. Morgan at 634-1674 or call Red Bank High School’s Boys Varsity Basketball Coach, John Cherne, at 874-1900, ext. 2140.
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