Wheelchair Rugby Canada Announces Tokyo 2020 Coaching Team
(Ottawa, ON – Feb. 28) The Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association (CWSA) announced today that Patrick Côté has been hired as the new head coach of the Canadian wheelchair rugby national team. David Willsie, a three-time Paralympic Games medalist, will be joining the coaching staff as assistant coach.
“The combination of technical expertise and experience that Patrick and David bring to their coaching responsibilities will enable them to lead our team back onto the podium in 2020,” said CWSA CEO Catherine Cadieux.
Prior to taking over the head coaching role, Côté amassed over ten years’ of experience in various roles within wheelchair rugby. Patrick has held the role of Sport Coordinator for the Québec Wheelchair Sport Association, helping to promote and develop a number of wheelchair sports throughout Québec. He also worked as the Manager of Technical Programs for the CWSA during the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympics, a position he held for six years before being appointed as interim head coach of the wheelchair rugby national team in November 2016.
Côté is held in high regard throughout the wheelchair rugby community. He has received wide acclaim for his technical understanding of wheelchair rugby, in addition to his development and use of data analytics solutions.
“I am very excited and thankful that CWSA puts their trust in me to be part of the program and lead the Canadian wheelchair rugby national team into the new quadrennial,” Patrick said. “I really look forward to the opportunity to work with such a great group of athletes, and to help them reach their full potential as individuals and collectively as a team.”
Willsie has had a long distinguished career in the sport of wheelchair rugby, one that has spanned over 19 years and has seen him earn numerous medals on the international stage. He joins the national coaching team, while continuing to hold the role of player-coach for the Ontario Thunder, winners of the last five national championships.
“I am excited to be working for such a class organization and to be able to bring my own unique style to the team” said David Willsie.
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
Chance to Win the Opportunity to Present the Game Ball at a Toronto Raptors Game
Through our partnership with Ontario Basketball we have been presented with an amazing opportunity to take part in the MLSE Game Ball Delivery program!
One lucky OWSA wheelchair basketball athlete between the ages of 8-12 will be selected to present the game ball at the beginning of the Toronto Raptors game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, March 31.
What to expect:
Upon arrival the participant and guardian will be taken to half-court to watch warm-up. Right before the game the participant will be taken to centre court and will get to meet both captains and present the game ball. They are then taken to their seats for the game (in the upper bowl) – all free of charge!
How to enter:
In order to have a chance to be selected for this amazing experience simply email Josée Matte at josee@onpara.ca with the following information:
Participant’s name
Age
Club/program
Primary email address
Primary phone number
A photo of them playing wheelchair basketball!
Deadline to enter is Thursday, February 23 at 5:00pm. The successful participant will be announced on OWSA social media and contacted directly on Friday, February 24.
Requirements:
Must be a registered OWSA member for the 2016-2017 season
Must be between the ages of 8-12
Must be currently actively participating in a wheelchair basketball club or program
Must be available on Friday, March 31 for the Raptors game
Ontario Provincial Team Athletes to Play in 3×3 Exhibition Matches
The Ontario Parasport Winter Games are coming to Brantford and Brant County from February 10-12, 2017. The multi-sport event is expected to include 200 athletes and over 445 coaches, support workers, guides, and officials. In total, 11 sports will be represented over the course of the weekend, namely alpine skiing, archery, boccia, curling (wheelchair and visually impaired), five-a-side soccer, goalball, nordic skiing, sitting volleyball, sledge hockey, and wheelchair basketball.
The wheelchair basketball competition will be held at the RISE Centre in Brantford and will feature some of Ontario’s best young talent. The weekend will be used as a training camp opportunity for the Ontario Junior & Women’s provincial teams who are preparing to compete at the upcoming Junior East Regional Championship and CWBL Women’s National Championship within the next few months.
The group of 20 wheelchair basketball athletes confirmed to participate in the Games will include a mix of Paralympians, Junior and Senior National Team members, National Academy athletes, Canada Games participants, as well as promising young up-and-coming athletes and some able-bodied athletes from all across the province.
Exhibition games will be played in the afternoon on Saturday, February 11 and Sunday, February 12 and will be open to the public. All events at the 2017 Parasport Winter Games are free to attend for spectators! Visitors, family, and friends are encouraged to visit www.parasportwintergames2017.ca for details on sport schedules and venues.
The Ontario ParaSport Games is a program of the Government of Ontario, delivered by host municipalities in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and ParaSport Ontario. The Games promote public awareness of the para-sports and showcase Ontario’s best athletes. The Games provide host communities with an opportunity to make their community barrier-free and leave a legacy for persons with a disability in their community.
DRAFT List of 2016-2017 Quest for Gold Ontario Card Nominations Announced!
The Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association is pleased to announce a draft list of athletes and alternates who have been nominated for Ontario Cards under the 2016-2017 Quest for Gold – Ontario Athlete Assistance Program (OAAP). The athletes nominated were selected using the sport specific selection criteria developed by the Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association, approved by its Board of Directors and applied by (the) Selection Committee.
2016-2017 Draft List of Quest for Gold Nominees
Wheelchair Basketball
Wheelchair Rugby
Wheelchair Athletics
Wheelchair Tennis
Adel Akhmed
Sara Black
Faisal Burale
Robert (Brett) Babcock
Puisand Lai
Jamoi Anderson
Claire Buchanan
Ian Crowe
Isaiah Christophe
Maninder Hothi
Vanessa Giancaterini
Eric Furtado-Rodrigues
Dylan Ritter
Michael Kilonzo
Zoë Hahn
Ben Perkins
Nandini Sharma
Lee Melymick
Joanne Lee
Jamie Sopha
Dariusz (Darek) Symonowicz
Natalie Robinson
Andrew Tucker
Victoria Ross
Please note that this list is unofficial and is subject to change pending the outcome of any appeals and/or any re-selection decisions made by the Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association Selection Committee or the Quest for Gold Appeals Committee. As a consequence, this list should not be seen as final.
Athletes who have not been nominated and who wish to appeal this decision can do so through the following process.
By January 23, 2017, athlete asks the Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association for reasons explaining why they were not nominated for an Ontario Card.
The Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association responds to athlete by January 26, 2017
If the athlete is not satisfied with the Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association response, the athlete may submit a Notice of Appeal. A Notice of Appeal will only be accepted from the athlete or their parent/guardian on the MTCS-provided template (typed or hand-printed, no hand-written entries) through email, regular post, registered mail, courier or delivered in person. One appeal cannot be written on behalf of multiple athletes. The Notice of Appeal must be received by MTCS by noon on January 30, 2017. Appeals that are delivered personally or by courier shall be deemed to be received on the date of delivery.
Seeking people with a physical disability for a National Bank TV commercial. Open to both men and women, ages 30 to 50 years old. All ethnicities are welcome. Non-speaking role, no acting experience required.
Amputees who have acquired the use of prosthetic devices for BOTH legs
People who have paralysis in their legs and who use a wheelchair for mobility
Pay is $4,000 each, if selected.
The shoot will be held in Toronto, Canada. If selected and you reside outside of the greater Toronto area, travel and accommodation will be provided for you and a companion to attend the filming.
Auditions will be held via SKYPE. You are not required to come into the studio. However, there will be a call-back session held in Toronto for those who are successful and live in this area on February 3rd.
Availability
Must be available for these dates:
Callback: February 3 in Toronto (for those who reside in the GTA only).
Wardrobe: February 9, 10 or 11 in Toronto.
Rehearsal: February 10 in Toronto (TBD)
Shoot: February 12, 13 and/or 14 in Toronto.
Application
To apply, please include the following if you want to be considered:
Name
Age
Phone Number
Email Address
2-3 recent casual photos of you (no hats and sunglasses please).
Please tell us about your disability.
Are you active? If so, what type of physical activities you like to participate in?
Do you have a good core strength?
Are you a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident?
This is not mandatory, but we encourage you to provide a short video to show us your personality. In the video, tell us your name and age, then you can talk about your sport, hobbies or interests, etc. If you are able to make a short video (less than 1 minute) on your cell phone, then please send us a youtube link. You can upload it onto youtube as ‘unlisted’, this will keep your video private. Do not send large video files.
Wheelchair Basketball Canada Welcomes Shirka Shuriye as Schools Program Coordinator
(Ottawa, Ont.) Wheelchair Basketball Canada, in collaboration with the Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association (OWSA), is pleased to welcome Shirka Shuriye to the organization in the role of Wheelchair Basketball Schools Program Coordinator.
The Schools Program is designed to educate teachers and students about the sport of wheelchair basketball and encourage youth, with or without a disability, to be physically active. The inclusive program generates awareness for parasport and promotes positive attitudinal change toward disability. Working closely with the OWSA, Shuriye will oversee the delivery of the Schools Program in the Greater Toronto Area beginning in early 2017.
“We are excited to welcome Shirka to our team as we prepare to build upon the successful legacy of the Schools Program,” said Wheelchair Basketball Canada Executive Director Wendy Gittens. “Shirka brings tremendous enthusiasm to the role and he will be a great champion of the Schools Program as we work alongside the OWSA to contribute in a meaningful way to the growth of wheelchair basketball amongst youth in Ontario.”
“Shirka brings tremendous enthusiasm to the role and he will be a great champion of the Schools Program as we work alongside the OWSA to contribute in a meaningful way to the growth of wheelchair basketball amongst youth in Ontario.”
Shuriye is a graduate of Brock University’s Bachelor of Sport Management program. He possesses both work and volunteer-related event management and operations experience with similar initiatives within the sport sector.
During his time with the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games, he assisted the organizing committee with the planning and delivery of the torch relay, including the execution of more than 130 school visits and 180 community celebrations along the relay route. His volunteer history includes roles with the Ontario Winter Games, the NBA All-Star Weekend in Toronto and the Toronto Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon.
The Schools Program is made possible thanks to the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). An agency of the Government of Ontario, the OTF is one of Canada’s largest granting foundations. With a budget of over $136 million, OTF awards grants to some 1,000 projects every year to build healthy and vibrant Ontario communities.
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, visit www.wheelchairbasketball.ca.
Quest For Gold (OAAP) information released for the 2016-2017 season.
The Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association, with the approval of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Sport, has made public the selection criteria and application details for the Quest for Gold program (Ontario Athlete Assistance Program) for all four of its sports:
Wheelchair Athletics
Wheelchair Basketball
Wheelchair Rugby
Wheelchair Tennis
All athletes are encouraged to apply for Quest For Gold funding if they have been identified as High Performance athletes or “next generation” athletes with the potential to make a future National Team. Applicants are asked to carefully and thoroughly read and review the appropriate Quest For Gold document for their chosen sport, as selection criteria differs between each sport. Applicants must also be aware of eligibility requirements, expectations of the program, and their responsibilities as Quest For Gold recipients.
Deadlines
Application Deadline – December 12, 2016
Draft List of Nominations – January 19, 2017
Appeal Deadline, athletes wishing to appeal must do so before – January 23, 2017
Final list of nominated Ontario Card athletes posted – February 24, 2017
The Ontario Athlete Assistance Program (OAAP) is a funding program of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Sport that provides financial support to Ontario’s amateur high performance athletes. The OWSA is the Provincial Sport Organization responsible for athlete carding in wheelchair athletics, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis.
The Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association is seeking a dynamic and motivated individual to coordinate our Bridging the Gap program.
Position: Bridging the Gap Provincial Coordinator Term: Full-time contract (1 year with potential for on-going renewal) Application Deadline: November 21, 2016 Location: Toronto, Ontario
Bridging the Gap is a National outreach and awareness program specifically designed to help individuals with and without physical disabilities become aware of the wheelchair sport and recreation options available in their communities. The program is supported by the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association, Tennis Canada and Wheelchair Basketball Canada, and currently promotes and supports wheelchair rugby, wheelchair tennis, and wheelchair basketball.
The Provincial Coordinator will take all required sport equipment to rehabilitation hospitals/centres, schools, and various community events to allow individuals to try our sports first-hand. This person will also manage our wheelchair loans program.
Responsibilities
Coordinate, plan, and implement all aspects of the Bridging the Gap program
Facilitate wheelchair sport outreach “Have a Go” days and secure athlete ambassadors to co-facilitate sessions
Create and build partnerships with rehabilitation centres, schools, and community social service organizations
Assist in the development, evaluation and reporting on strategies and initiatives for recruiting potential athletes and increasing participation in wheelchair sports through Bridging the Gap initiatives
Increase awareness of wheelchair sports and assist new athletes by directing them to participation opportunities with our local clubs and programs.
Maintain our Wheelchair Loans Program and sport equipment maintenance
Coordinate recruitment and orientation of program volunteers
Qualifications
Excellent communication skills – verbal and written
Program development and coordination experience
Outgoing personality and ability to network, build and develop partnerships
Effective group facilitating skills
Valid driver’s license
Must be proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel
Ability to work some evenings and weekends
Ability to travel and work off-site as required for program delivery
Experience working with people with disabilities a definite asset
OWSA selected as charity beneficiary of the 7th Annual Durham College Sport Business Conference
We are thrilled to announce that the OWSA has been selected as the charity beneficiary of the 7th Annual Durham College Sport Business Conference. Funds raised from the conference will be donated to our organization and we have fully committed to directing these proceeds back into programs and services that will impact and help our wheelchair athletes across the province.
The conference is organized annually by the small group of students in the Sport Business Management Graduate Certificate program at Durham College. It gives attendees a chance to network with their peers, interact with keynote speakers in a panel setting, enhance personal brand, and hear from those who have found a way to set themselves apart in the sports business industry.
“Our goal for those attending is to help them find a way to set themselves a part. The world of sports business is competitive, so our hope is that this conference gives its attendees an opportunity to ‘expand their playbook'” said Giovanna Perone and Mike Kosciesza, SBC16 Co-Chairs.
Wheelchair Basketball Canada Seeks Schools Program Coordinator
Wheelchair Basketball Canada (WBC), in partnership with the Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association (OWSA), is seeking a dynamic, energetic and dedicated individual to lead the Wheelchair Basketball Schools Program.
Position: Wheelchair Basketball Schools Program Coordinator Term: Full-time contract (3-year term) Application Deadline: November 11, 2016 Location: Toronto, Ontario
The Schools Program is designed to successfully educate students and teachers about the sport of wheelchair basketball and to inspire students of all abilities to embrace a healthy, active lifestyle. The Schools Program will raise awareness, highlight inclusivity, and promote positive attitudinal change toward disability.
Armed with sport wheelchairs, a demo team will visit schools in the Greater Toronto Area and give students a chance to try wheelchair basketball and connect with local athletes/role models in an interactive, inclusive, and informative way. The Schools Program will enable schools to access a wheelchair basketball resource guide and sport equipment through the wheelchair rental program in order to implement wheelchair basketball programming into their curriculum. The long-term goal of the program is to increase participation while contributing to the development of school-based wheelchair basketball tournaments and leagues.
Participating schools during the 2016-2017 school year will also have the opportunity to attend the 2017 Men’s U23 World Wheelchair Basketball Championship, which takes place June 8-16, 2017 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in downtown Toronto.
Responsibilities
Develop and implement the Schools Program in the Greater Toronto Area in collaboration with the OWSA;
Contribute to the expansion of the educational wheelchair basketball resource guide and oversee its distribution to participating schools;
Coordinate school visits, deliver sport demonstrations and manage athlete bookings;
Inform teachers and students about community-based wheelchair basketball programming and participation opportunities in their area;
Coordinate the delivery of the wheelchair rental program;
Manage the equipment inventory, including storage and the transportation of equipment to and from schools during school visits or through the wheelchair rental program;
Develop and maintain a database of school contacts;
Oversee ticketing strategy and coordinate ticket packages for schools to attend the 2017 Men’s U23 World Wheelchair Basketball Championship;
Coordinate school arrivals and departures during the 2017 Men’s U23 World Wheelchair Basketball Championship;
Liaise with school boards, educators and administrators to develop and implement school-based “try it” days, tournaments and 3-on-3 leagues;
Administer surveys, collect anecdotal feedback and testimonials, and track reporting data from participating schools; and
Conduct annual assessment of the program and create strategy for long-term sustainability of the program.
Qualifications
Excellent oral and written communication skills;
Excellent organizational and time management skills;
Strong computer skills;
Flexibility and initiative;
Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
Ability to take direction and multi-task in a fast paced environment;
Ability to lift equipment such as sport wheelchairs;
A valid G class driver’s licence;
Event management experience;
Program development and management experience;
Experience working with volunteer committees would be considered an asset; and
Oral and written fluency in both official languages would be considered an asset.
How to Apply
Please forward your application including CV, references and salary expectations by November 11, 2016 to:
Wendy Gittens
Executive Director
Wheelchair Basketball Canada
6 Antares Drive, Unit 8
Ottawa, ON, K2E 8A9
Fax: (613) 260-1456 wgittens@wheelchairbasketball.ca
We thank all applicants who apply, but only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
! Visitors, family, and friends are encouraged to visit 
(Ottawa, Ont.) Wheelchair Basketball Canada, in collaboration with the Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association (OWSA), is pleased to welcome Shirka Shuriye to the organization in the role of Wheelchair Basketball Schools Program Coordinator.
