Archive
🎉 Congratulations to Shawn Courchesne!
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Join us in celebrating an incredible year for Shawn Courchesne, one of Canada’s fastest-rising stars in wheelchair tennis!
Shawn’s 2025 season was nothing short of exceptional. He captured back-to-back quad singles titles in Setúbal, Portugal — marking the first ITF singles championships of his career. He followed that up with a dominant performance at the 2025 Birmingham National Wheelchair Tennis Championships, earning both the quad singles and doubles national titles.
To cap off this remarkable year, Shawn was recognized by Tennis Canada as the 2025 Wheelchair Tennis Most Improved Player of the Year — a well-deserved honour reflecting his dedication, growth, and impact on the sport.
Congratulations, Shawn! Your hard work, passion, and commitment to inclusion continue to inspire athletes across Ontario and Canada. We’re proud to celebrate this milestone with you! 💙💪🎾
ONPARA Featured on “Para Sport Nation” Podcast
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ONPARA joins Para Sport Nation on the latest episode of Beyond the Field: Growing Para Sport in Ontario. Our Executive Director, Doug Hannum, sits down with hosts Alex Smyth and Nathan Clement to discuss how ONPARA is expanding para-sport opportunities across the province, the importance of sustainable funding, and the impact of hosting major national and international events.
This episode is produced by AMI — a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through its broadcast services AMI-tv, AMI-audio, and AMI-télé, as well as its streaming platform AMI+. AMI is committed to providing accessible content and authentic storytelling that represents and supports Canadians with disabilities. Learn more at AMI.ca and AMItele
Drive to December: Fueling ONPARA, Powering Possibility
Leave a CommentDrive to December: Fueling ONPARA, Powering Possibility is officially underway — our year-end fundraising campaign supporting athletes, clubs, and programs across Ontario.
We’re launching early, ahead of the Black Friday and Giving Tuesday rush, so our community can hear from us before inboxes start to overflow. Early support gives ONPARA a strong start and helps us build momentum throughout December.
With significant reductions in government funding and a growing demand for parasport opportunities, your support matters now more than ever. This campaign will help us continue delivering life-changing programs in Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Rugby, and Wheelchair Tennis — while strengthening clubs through our 25% give-back model:
➡️ 25% of every donation goes directly back to the donor’s chosen club.
Your generosity will help us:
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Expand youth and grassroots programming
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Increase access to equipment and coaching
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Support athlete development pathways
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Strengthen club operations and sustainability
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Deliver inclusive, high-quality parasport experiences across Ontario
Every dollar makes a difference — and every donation fuels the future of parasport.
👉 Donate today: https://www.ontariosportnetwork.ca/nstf-projects/352-ontario-para-network
(Link also available in our bio)
Thank you for helping us power possibility for athletes across Ontario.
Let’s get ahead of the year-end noise and finish strong — together
Good Luck to Team Ontario at the 2025 Birmingham National Wheelchair Tennis Championships!
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ONPARA is proud to cheer on our athletes as they compete at the 2025 Birmingham National Wheelchair Tennis Championships, taking place November 13–16, 2025 at the UBC Tennis Centre in Vancouver, BC.
Representing Ontario this year are:
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Shawn Courchesne
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Anne-Marie Dolinar
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Nevin Dunn
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Hisham Mohammad
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Flavio Pagliero
The team will be led by Provincial Team Coach, Joel Cruz, whose leadership and support continue to strengthen the program and athlete development across the province.
We are incredibly proud of each of these athletes for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence. Please join us in wishing them the very best as they take the court in Vancouver!
Go Team Ontario! 🎾🍁
🏀 Team Canada Strikes Double Gold at the Youth Parapan Am Games!
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Canada’s young wheelchair basketball stars made history at the 2025 Youth Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile, capturing gold in both the men’s 5×5 and women’s 3×3 tournaments.
Women’s 3×3 – GOLD 🥇
Elise Froese, Rosie Long, Kayla MacKinnon, and Mercy Nyakundi
Team Canada capped off an outstanding week with a 15–4 victory over Colombia in Wednesday’s final to claim the top spot on the podium.
The squad completed a perfect 7–0 run, averaging 15 points per game while holding opponents to just 2.2 points per contest — a dominant performance from start to finish.
“We came into the game off a great warm-up and ready to execute the plan,” said Elise Froese. “From the start, we were hard on chairs and communicated with intention. I loved getting to play with this group of girls all week, and I am proud of our performance from the start.”
The gold marks a historic achievement for Canada, improving on the silver-medal finish from the 2013 Youth Parapan American Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Men’s 5×5 – GOLD 🥇
Dylan Cannan, Nasif Chowdhury, Cameron Gelowitz, Brandon Louie, Simon Mazi-Keep, Thai Milton, Ibrahim Odza, Bernard Rosello, Jeffer Ward, and Judah Websdale
The men’s team battled through a tough field, closing out round-robin play with a 51–42 come-from-behind victory over Argentina before powering through to capture gold.
Ibrahim Odza led the way with 17 points, seven assists, and six rebounds, while Brandon Louie added a strong double-double performance of 15 points and 10 rebounds. The team’s grit, defensive intensity, and balanced scoring carried them to the top of the podium.
Both teams demonstrated incredible teamwork, resilience, and composure — showing the world that the future of Canadian wheelchair basketball is brighter than ever.
Congratulations to all athletes, coaches, and staff on this phenomenal achievement!
🎾 Wheelchair Tennis is Coming Back to Ottawa!
Leave a CommentWe’re excited to announce that a new weekly wheelchair tennis program will be launching at the Rideau Sports Centre on Saturday afternoons, beginning in the New Year!
To kick things off, join us for a free Try It session on Saturday, December 6th from 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM at the Rideau Sports Centre (1 Donald St, Ottawa, ON).
No experience is required — all equipment will be provided! The session is recommended for ages 13+, though younger participants may be accommodated upon request. While priority will be given to individuals with a physical disability, friends and family members are welcome to join if equipment and time allow.
For more information or to register, please contact Lisa Myers at wheelchairdev@tenniscanada.com.
Wheelchair Tennis Try It Session!
Date: Saturday, December 6th
Time: 1:30pm – 3:00pm
Location: Rideau Sports Centre (1 Donald St, Ottawa ON, K1K 4E6)
Cost: Free
Registration Link: https://forms.office.com/r/wf6QpHPUrJ
Questions? Contact Lisa Myers at wheelchairdev@tenniscanada.com
Have a Go at Wheelchair Tennis-London
Leave a Comment🎾 London — it’s your turn to try wheelchair tennis!
Join us on Monday, December 15th, 2025 for a fun, free Try It session — no experience needed!
🕗 8:15–9:15pm
📍 North London Optimist Community Centre (1345 Cheapside St, London ON)
👉 Register here: Wheelchair Tennis Try It Registration
Have questions? Contact Lisa Myers at 💌 wheelchairdev@tenniscanada.com
Volunteers Needed – Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (Nov 22–23 in Elmira)
Leave a CommentWe’re looking for volunteers to help make our upcoming Wheelchair Basketball Tournament a success! The event will take place November 22–23 at Elmira District Secondary School, and we’re seeking enthusiastic individuals to join our event team.
Volunteer Roles:
- Greeters: Welcome athletes, spectators, and guests as they arrive and help with event check-in.
- Table Officials: Assist with scorekeeping, timekeeping, and other courtside duties (training provided).
- Photographer/ Videographer: Capture exciting moments throughout the tournament for our social media and event highlights.
- Athletic Therapist/ Massage Therapy: Provide on-site support for athletes, including injury prevention and basic care throughout the tournament.
This is a great opportunity to get involved in the community, support adaptive sport, and experience the excitement of wheelchair basketball up close!
📅 Dates: November 22–23 (8:00 am – 6:30 pm)
📍 Location: Elmira District Secondary School, Elmira, Ontario
Questions? Email Zoe at events@onpara.ca
Canada’s first-ever Para Spartan Race!
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Canada’s first-ever Para Spartan Race is happening September 13, 2026, at Gopher Dunes in Courtland, ON!
Get ready to take on the ultimate adaptive obstacle challenge — where grit, teamwork, and determination meet in an unforgettable test of strength and spirit. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this groundbreaking event in Canadian para sport history!
ONPARA Annual General Meeting
Leave a CommentONPARA Annual General Meeting
🗓 Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2025
🕡 Time: 6:30 PM (ET)
📍 Location: Online via Zoom
Please contact ONPARA Executive Director Doug Hannum at doug@onpara.ca to request the Zoom link.