An impressive campaign by Canada’s junior squad at the BNP Paribas World Team Cup in Alghero, Italy came to a close on Sunday, after a successful week of competition.
Despite a 2-1 loss at the hands of Brazil on Sunday, the team recorded a fourth place finish in this year’s event, the first time Canada has been represented with a junior team since 2002. Brilliant performances over the course of week by Tomas Bourassa (BC), Thomas Venos (BC), and Puisand Lai (ON), were highlighted by the team’s dispatching of eventual champions, United States, on Wednesday during round-robin action.
While the heartbreak of missing out on a medal is still fresh for the young Canadians, their impressive result has qualified the team for direct entry into the 2018 edition of the tournament.
The Canadian quad team also secured a spot into main draw for next year’s World Team Cup, thanks to their hard work in Italy.
Meeting their objective of a top six finish, Canada fell 2-1 to the Netherlands in their final day of competition on Friday, just narrowly missing out on a fifth place spot.
The quad team, which included Gary Luker (ON), Rob Shaw (ON), Mika Ishikawa (BC), and Sarah Hunter (BC), overcame a slow start in the early stages of the round-robin, but were able to turn things around and push to complete their objectives.
“Both our teams delivered on the stated objectives and came so close to over delivering. The quads were a match point away from reaching fifth place and the juniors were only a match point away from the finals,”
reflected team manager, Kai Schrameyer.
“I could not be prouder of the team. They and the supporting staff, families, and friends represented Canada fabulously and gained a lot of respect and new friendships here in Sardinia. The Italian hospitality and quality of organization was impressive. A fabulous World Team Cup comes to a close.”
Excitement for the 2017 BNP Paribas World Team Cup continues to rise, as the final Canadian athletes arrived in Sardinia, Italy late this week. On Thursday, the ITF announced the provisional seeding for all the events ahead of the official draw ceremony on Sunday. Canada will be well represented at the event. Considered to be the Davis Cup and Fed Cup of wheelchair tennis, the tournament will see 25 nations play across four different categories (men’s, women’s, quad, and junior) from May 1-7, 2017. The nation has qualified in the quad and junior draws, and will be sending an under-18 team to World Team Cup for the first time in 15 years.
An experienced Canadian contingent has been selected to the World Team Cup quad team, led by Rob Shaw (North Bay, Ont.), Canada’s reigning national champion and at world No. 22 the highest-ranked player on the squad. Rounding out the roster are world No. 27 Mika Ishikawa (Vancouver), No. 28 Gary Luker (Stoney Creek, Ont.), and former world No. 2 Sarah Hunter (Surrey, BC).
“I’m starting to get really excited for the competition to begin,” said Shaw of the upcoming week of play. “We know that the competition is going to be very challenging but our training over the next two days will prepare us for it. I’m looking forward to testing my game next week and seeing how I play against the best in the world.”
Canada enters this year’s competition as the No. 7 seeds. The team qualified for direct entry in the quad division after finishing in sixth place in 2016. An equal or better result remains the main objective for the team this year.
Looking to take a page from their seasoned compatriots will be Canada’s junior team, filled with three promising young talents. Sixteen-year-old Puisand Lai (Toronto) currently holds a No. 12 world ranking in the girls’ category and she will be joined two 17-year-olds from British Columbia, boys’ world No. 16 Thomas Venos (Anmore, BC) and No. 23 Tomas Bourassa (Delta, BC).
This will be the first time Canadian juniors compete at World Team Cup since 2002, and they will hold a No. 3 seeding in the draw. Canada’s 15-year absence from the junior world stage was snapped when the International Tennis Federation awarded the country a wild card in March.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to represent Canada and to compete against my fellow juniors from across the globe,” said Bourassa, the 2016 Birmingham National Wheelchair Tennis Championships men’s singles runner-up. “I am honoured to have been selected as a part of Team Canada for this year’s competition.”
Supporting Team Canada in Sardinia will be quad coach Christian Gingras, junior coach Steve Manley, team manager Kai Schrameyer, and athletic therapist Mara Chaplin.
“We were the first team to arrive, and were able to fit in a solid two days of practice before competition.” said Schrameyer, team manager in Italy and Tennis Canada’s national wheelchair tennis coach. “The club members and officials have gone out of their way to help us and make us feel welcome. After getting over the initial jet lag, the two teams are healthy and in good spirit. We’re looking forward to the week ahead.”
Both the quad and junior teams will be competing against seven other countries for their respective titles. The tournament will see the nations split into two round-robin groups. Play will get underway on May 1 in Sardinia, Italy at two host venues, Baia di Conte and Alghero Tennis Club. For the complete draws and information, please visit itftennis.com/wheelchair.
The future looks bright for Ontario women’s wheelchair basketball
From April 21-23, the OWSA and the Golden Horseshoe Disabled Sports Association (GHDSA) played host to the top women’s wheelchair basketball teams in Canada at the Haber Recreation Centre in Burlington. The OWSA was proud to bring the event back to Ontario after more than 10 years!
The six-team tournament saw over 120 athletes, coaches, officials, classifiers, and volunteers, while featuring Paralympians, current and former National Team athletes, as well as some of the best up-and-coming talent in the country. The weekend-long event culminated with the Calgary Rollers lifting the championship trophy after their 65-51 defeat of their Alberta rivals, the Edmonton Inferno. Québec earned bronze after a come-from-behind win over the BC Breakers. Saskatchewan and Ontario placed 5th and 6th, respectively.
Team Ontario, led by Head Coach Paul Bowes, brought a full 12-player roster to the tournament, which included a mix of veterans and rookies. The OWSA is pleased with the team’s continued improvement and efforts towards developing the women’s game locally and nationally.
Ontario athlete Tamara Steeves was named as one of the tournament All-Stars for her performance throughout the weekend.
The Casting Group seeks women with visible disabilities for cereal commercial
CASTING CALL:
A cereal company is looking for real women for various roles in a new non-union campaign shooting in Toronto. Locals only. We are offering a payment of up to $4,050 for whoever is selected to be featured.
ROLES
Woman with Disability – Must have a visible disability (wheelchair, amputee, cochlear, etc) and be between the ages of 28 and 40.
Field Hockey Player. 18-20. Must be 18 years or older and real field hockey players. Women who play together preferred.
DATES
Auditions: Monday, April 17, 2017
Callbacks: Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Wardrobe: Monday, April 24, 2017
Shooting: April 25, 26, 27, 28 (one of those days)
The OWSA would like to congratulate the following athletes on their selection to the Team Ontario Junior & Women’s wheelchair basketball teams:
Juniors
Adel Akhmed
Sara Black
Vanessa Giancaterini
Zoë Hahn
Nick Hill
Maninder Hothi
Michael Kilonzo
Joanne Lee
Anthony Protomanni
Natalie Robinson
Also selected, but cannot attend Jr. East Regionals: Puisand Lai, Lee Melymick, Eric Voss
Women
CWBL Women’s National Championship
Sara Black
Vanessa Giancaterini
Zoë Hahn
Melanie Hawtin
Puisand Lai
Joanne Lee
Karina Nowaczyk
Omaya Rakieh
Natalie Robinson
Darda Sales
Tamara Steeves
Christina Swett
Défi Sportif
Sara Black
Helen Dam
Vanessa Giancaterini
Zoë Hahn
Julia Hanes
Melanie Hawtin
Joanne Lee
Josée Matte
Karina Nowaczyk
Natalie Robinson
Victoria Ross
Tamara Steeves
We would also like to take the time to recognize the Assistant Coaches who were selected to help lead our provincial programs in conjunction with our Head Coaches.
Juniors
Head Coach – Kathy Ludwig
Assistant Coach – Aidyn Low
Additional Coaches – Jesse McNalley, Josh Davies, Chris Chandler
Women
Head Coach – Paul Bowes
Assistant Coaches – Christina Swett, Jesse McNalley, Chris Chandler
Additional Coaches – Martin Corriveau
Thank you for all the hard work and dedication you have shown throughout both the teams’ tryout & selection processes! The present and future of wheelchair basketball in Ontario is looking promising! GO ONTARIO!
Wheelchair Basketball Canada Announces 2017 Award Winners & Hall Of Fame Inductees
(Montreal, Que.) Wheelchair Basketball Canada proudly announced the names of its major award winners and Hall of Fame inductees on Saturday evening at its 2017 annual awards banquet as part of the festivities of the 2017 Canadian Wheelchair Basketball League (CWBL) National Championship in Montreal, Que.
Cindy Ouellet and David Eng were named Athletes of the Year and Alex Hayward was awarded Junior Athlete of the Year, while Pierre Poulin was honoured with the Leadership Excellence Award and Paul Bowes received the True Sport Award.
Martine Talbot and André Ducharme were inducted into the Wheelchair Basketball Canada Hall of Fame in recognition of their outstanding contributions within the wheelchair basketball community.
The award winners each exemplify fair play and sportsmanship while committing to values of inclusion. They are leaders in their communities, positive role models, and they display superior performance in their respective disciplines.
True Sport Award: Paul Bowes (London, Ont.)
This year’s True Sport Award recipient, Paul Bowes, is adept at creating welcoming, positive and supportive environments that empower his athletes to shine both on and off the court. Just one month prior to the 2016 CWBL Women’s National Championship, Paul assumed the position of head coach of the Ontario women’s wheelchair basketball team. In this role he prioritized the transformation of the culture within the program, successfully creating an environment that values hard work, sportsmanship, commitment and respect. In the past year Paul also took on an assistant coach position with the Ontario women’s development team at the 2016 Défi sportif, spearheaded the team’s participation in the Spitfire Challenge and took on a coaching position at the Invictus Games. He also continues to coach within the Red and Black Aces program, where he contributes to the development of Canada’s top athletes.
About Wheelchair Basketball Canada
Wheelchair Basketball Canada is the national sports governing body responsible for the organization of the sport in Canada. It is a non-profit, charitable organization that is committed to excellence in the development, support and promotion of wheelchair basketball programs and services for all Canadians from grassroots to high performance. Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced, hard-hitting, competitive sport in which Canada is held in high esteem around the world for winning a combined six gold, one silver, and one bronze medal in the last six Paralympic Games.
Wheelchair Basketball Athlete Adam Lancia and Coach Jerry Tonello Recognized by Toronto Sport Hall of Honour
(Ottawa, Ont.) Wheelchair Basketball Canada congratulates two-time Paralympic gold medallist Adam Lancia and beloved wheelchair basketball coach Jerry Tonello on being part of the Toronto Sport Hall of Honour induction class of 2017. The induction ceremony took place on yesterday at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.
After representing Canada on the world stage at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, this native of Scarborough is being recognized as the male Para-Athlete of the Year. Lancia retired in 2017 but played with the Senior Men’s National Team for 15 years and is a four-time Paralympian and one-time world champion. He helped push the team to Paralympic gold in 2004 and 2012, Paralympic silver in 2008 and a world championship title in 2006.
Late wheelchair basketball coach Jerry Tonello received the City of Sport Lifetime Achievement award. A native of Toronto, Ont., Tonello grew up as an all-around athlete in football, basketball and a number of other sports. He was introduced to wheelchair basketball by friends and started playing as an able-bodied player. He was a dominant big man on the court and played recreationally for many years. He began coaching in 1982.
Tonello served as head coach of the team from 2009 to 2015. He led the Canadian Men’s National Wheelchair Basketball Team to a gold medal and an undefeated record at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. He first joined the men’s national team program as an assistant coach in 1991, and he helped the Canadian team establish itself as an international powerhouse in wheelchair basketball.
Tonello passed away in 2016 and the Canadian wheelchair basketball community mourned the loss of one of its finest coaches and a tireless mentor.
Lancia and Tonello are among the 14 other athletes, coaches, builders and legends that will be inducted into the Toronto Hall of Honour. The 2017 inductees are:
Rosie MacLennan, Athlete of the Year
Andre De Grasse, Athlete of the Year
Victoria Nolan, Para-Athlete of the Year
Adam Lancia, Para-Athlete of the Year
Nerissa Pooran, Special Olympics Athlete of the Year
U of T Varsity Blues Women’s Volleyball, Team of the Year
Kristine Drakich, Coach of the Year
Chris Rudge, Builder
CIBC, Corporate Builder
Archie Allison, Spirit of Sport
Bobby Baun, Sport Legend
Bobbie Rosenfeld, Sport Legend
Ellen Burka, Sport Legend
Jerry Tonello, City of Sport Lifetime Achievement
About Toronto Sport Hall of Honour
The Toronto Sport Hall of Honour celebrates the exceptional contributions and accomplishments of those who have inspired and/or brought recognition to the City of Toronto through sport. Nominations from all levels of performance and ability are welcome. For more information about the Toronto Sport Hall of Honour, please visit http://toronto.ca/tshh.
About Wheelchair Basketball Canada
Wheelchair Basketball Canada is the national sport governing body responsible for the organization of the sport in Canada. It is a non-profit, charitable organization that is committed to excellence in the development, support and promotion of wheelchair basketball programs and services for all Canadians from grassroots to high performance. Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced, hard-hitting, competitive sport in which Canada is held in high esteem around the world for winning a combined six gold, one silver, and one bronze medal in the last seven Paralympic Games. For more information, please visit www.wheelchairbasketball.ca.
Wheelchair Basketball Canada is hiring two full-time summer students positions in conjunction with the 2017 Men’s U23 World Wheelchair Basketball Championship
(Ottawa, Ont.) Wheelchair Basketball Canada is seeking two dynamic, organized, and detail-oriented team players for exciting and challenging summer student employment opportunities.
The application deadline is Wednesday April 12, 2017.
Position – Event Assistant for the 2017 Men’s U23 World Wheelchair Basketball Championship (full-time summer student contract)
Wheelchair Basketball Canada has been awarded the rights to host the 2017 Men’s World Wheelchair Basketball Championship from June 8-16, 2017 in Toronto, Ont. Over 400 athletes, coaches, officials, delegates, and volunteers will attend the event that features 12 participating countries from all corners of the globe.
Applicants must have an interest in amateur sport preferably with Sport Management education and/or experience. This position is for a twelve-week period beginning in May 2017.
The Event Assistant position is an exciting and challenging opportunity for the successful candidate to gain valuable experience in event management and international hosting. The Event Assistant will report to the Tournament Director.
Position – Communications Assistant (full-time summer student contract)
The successful candidate will assist Wheelchair Basketball Canada with day-to-day communications and media relations efforts and report to the Communications Coordinator.
A solid background in business development, marketing, communications and/or journalism, and an interest in sport are a must. Strong communication and interpersonal skills, the ability to problem solve, a positive attitude and a willingness to take initiative are definite assets.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience in the communications field as Wheelchair Basketball Canada hosts the 2017 Men’s U23 World Wheelchair Basketball Championship.
Working in a fast-paced environment, the Communications Assistant will contribute to a world-leading amateur sport organization.
Wheelchair Basketball Canada is the national sports governing body responsible for the organization of the sport in Canada. It is a non-profit, charitable organization that is committed to excellence in the development, support and promotion of wheelchair basketball programs and services for all Canadians from grassroots to high performance. Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced, hard-hitting, competitive sport in which Canada is held in high esteem around the world for winning a combined six gold, one silver, and one bronze medal in the last seven Paralympic Games.
Wheelchair Rugby Canada Announces its 2017-2018 National Team Program Athletes
(Ottawa, ON – Mar. 16th) The Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association (CWSA) is pleased to announce the names of the 20 athletes selected to the Canadian Wheelchair Rugby National Team Program for 2017-2018.
From March 4th to March 9th, a 22-player selection camp was held at the Richmond Olympic Oval in British Columbia. The camp served as an opportunity for new head coach Patrick Côté and assistant coach David Willsie to evaluate the athletes vying for a place in the program. Following the camp’s conclusion, a Canada Select team featuring a couple of Team Canada debutants was assembled to compete in the Vancouver Invitational.
Final selections for the National Team Program were made following the conclusion of the Vancouver Invitational.
“I’m very pleased with the level of play and intensity demonstrated by all the athletes throughout the National Team Selections and the tournament that followed. It’s good to see so many new promising players join returning veterans on the National Team program,” said Head Coach Patrick Côté. “I feel we selected the right mix, not only to compete at this year’s Zone Championship, but also to build toward the Tokyo Games.”
“This was one of the most competitive National Team Selections’ in recent years. The players selected to the National Team Program have shown in their performance that they have podium potential and will be focusing on the next four years preparing for Tokyo 2020.” said High Performance Director, Andy Van Neutegem.
The full list of players named to the National Team Program, in alphabetical order by last name, is listed below.
BILETSKI, Miranda – Regina, SK
CALDWELL, Cody – Cavan, ON
CAMERON, Kristen – Vancouver, BC
DAGENAIS, Patrice – Embrun, ON
DEBLY, Matthew – Windsor, ON
FOURNIER, Cody – Victoria, BC
GREEN, Byron – Vancouver, BC
HICKLING, Garett – London, ON
HIRSCHFIELD, Trevor – Vancouver, BC
LAVOIE, Fabien – Vancouver, BC
LETOURNEAU, Anthony – Boisbriand, QC
MAYER, Britt – Regina, SK
MURAO, Travis – Toronto, ON
PERKINS, Benjamin – North Augusta, ON
RACICOT, Yanick – Montreal, QC
RODRIGUES, Eric – Mississauga, ON
SIMARD, Patrice – Quebec, QC
SMITH, Shayne – Toronto, ON
TROUTMAN, Branden – Lloydminster, AB
WHITEHEAD, Michael – Windsor, ON
So what is next for Team Canada?
Preparations are already underway for August’s World Championship Test Event in Sydney, Australia, where Team Canada will be expected to face some of the top wheelchair rugby teams in the world, including Australia, USA and Japan.
Further down the calendar, Team Canada will be participating in the IWRF Americas Zone Championships, which will be held in September in Asunción, Paraguay.
For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Ben Parker-Jones
Communications and Marketing Coordinator
Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association
Tel : 613-523-0004
Email : ben@cwsa.ca
2017 Selection Camp Roster Announced for Canadian Men’s U23 National Wheelchair Basketball Team
(Ottawa, Ont.) Wheelchair Basketball Canada is pleased to announce the list of the 18 athletes invited to attend the selection camp for the Canadian Men’s U23 National Wheelchair Basketball Team at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, in Scarborough, Ont., from March 20-24, 2017.
The athletes will compete for 12 roster spots on the Canadian junior men’s team, vying for the opportunity to represent Team Canada on home soil at the 2017 Men’s U23 World Wheelchair Basketball Championship from June 8-16, 2017 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto, Ont.
The selection camp roster features five players who have previously represented the maple leaf on the international wheelchair basketball stage. This includes Rio 2016 Paralympians Liam Hickey (St. John’s, N.L.) and Ben Moronchuk (Edmonton, Alta.). Hickey, Vincent Dallaire (Quebec, Que.) and Jack Kosterman (Langley, B.C.) enter selection camp as three returning players from the Canadian team that competed at the last junior men’s world championship in 2013. Eric Voss (St. Marys, Ont.) won a gold medal with Team Canada at the Americas zone qualification tournament for the junior men’s world championship in 2013.
The athletes attending selection camp are: (athletes with Paralympic Games experience denoted with a *)
Jon Bilan (Edmonton, Alta.)
Adel Akmed (Toronto, Ont.)
Lee Melymick (Toronto, Ont.)
Garrett Ostepchuck (Regina, Sask.)
Vincent Dallaire (Quebec, Que.)
Alex Hayward (Quispamsis, N.B.)
Ben Hagkull (Chilliwack, B.C.)
Eric Voss (St. Marys, Ont.)
Michael Kilonzo (Mississauga, Ont.)
Collin Lalonde (Montreal, Que.)
Spencer Lambert (Winnipeg, Man.)
Westley Johnson (Kinkora, P.E.I.)
Liam Hickey (St. John’s, N.L.) *
Ben Tumack (Edmonton, Alta.)
Jack Kosterman (Langley, B.C.)
Tanner Jung (Langley, B.C.)
Reed De’Aeth (Sherwood Park, Alta.)
Ben Moronchuck (Edmonton, Alta.) *
Darrell Nordell (Edmonton, Alta.) is the head coach of the Canadian Men’s U23 National Team. He will be joined on the bench by assistant coaches Steve Sampson (Hatchet Lake, N.S.) and five-time Paralympian Dave Durepos (Fredericton, N.B.)
About Wheelchair Basketball Canada
Wheelchair Basketball Canada is the national sport governing body responsible for the organization of the sport in Canada. It is a non-profit, charitable organization that is committed to excellence in the development, support and promotion of wheelchair basketball programs and services for all Canadians from grassroots to high performance. Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced, hard-hitting, competitive sport in which Canada is held in high esteem around the world for winning a combined six gold, one silver, and one bronze medal in the last seven Paralympic Games. For more information, please visit www.wheelchairbasketball.ca.
Wheelchair Basketball Canada is hosting the 2017 Men’s U23 World Wheelchair Basketball Championship. It marks the organization’s fifth opportunity to host a landmark international wheelchair basketball championship, having previously hosted the Women’s World Championship in 2014, the Men’s World Championship in 1994, the inaugural Men’s U23 World Championship in 1997, and the first-ever Women’s U25 World Championship in 2011.
April 21-23, the OWSA and the 
(Ottawa, ON – Mar. 16th) 