Team Ontario Juniors
The Team Ontario Junior Provincial Wheelchair Basketball Program provides high performance training & competition opportunities for the province’s Junior-age athletes.
The program operates on a four-year competition cycle leading up to the Canada Winter Games in the final year of the quadrennial. A regional or national level competition is held at the end of each season in Year 1-3 of the cycle.
Athletes will have the opportunity to try out for Team Ontario at the beginning of every season from Year 1-3 in order to be selected to represent Ontario at the season’s regional/national championships. Year 4 tryouts will be by invite only. Tryout details & selection criteria will made available online and will be communicated to club coaches and athletes prior to selection camps.
The Junior Provincial Program is led by a knowledgeable, qualified, enthusiastic, and dedicated coaching staff tasked with overseeing athlete development and program growth.
Junior Provincial Program 
Head Coach: Kathy Ludwig
Assistant Coach: Josh Davies
Assistant Coach: Andrea Foessel, Shayne Sharkey, Sara Black
Year 1 – Junior East Regional Championship (March 8 – 10, 2024 Montreal, Quebec)
Year 2 – Junior East Regional Championship (April 4 – 6, 2025, Charlottetown, PEI )
Year 3 – Junior National Championship (May 1 – May 3, 2026, Quebec City, Que., PEPS de l’Université Laval )
Year 4 – Canada Winter Games (Feb 27, 2027 – Mar 14, 2027, Quebec City, Quebec)
Selection Criteria
2024 Ontario Junior Wheelchair Basketball Team
Requirements:
- All players must be members in good standing with ONPARA
- All players must be born between January 1, 2003 – December 31, 2011
- All players must be willing and able to travel and care for themselves
- All players must attend at least ONE selection camp between October and December or speak to the Head Coach to be considered for Team Ontario for the 2024 Junior Eastern Championships
**However, athletes should attempt, to the best of their ability, to attend all camps throughout the season.
Primary Selection Criteria:
- The desire to represent Ontario at the 2024 Junior Eastern Championships
- Demonstrated technical skills, such as:
- Passing & catching
- Dribbling
- Shooting
- Chair skills & movement
- Communication
- Demonstrated tactical skills, such as:
- Decision making
- Court awareness
- Offensive reads
- Problem solving
- Demonstrated physical skills, such as speed, agility, strength, hand-eye coordination, power, and these skills may be formally tested using any of the following tests:
- 20 metre sprint
- U-Turns
- Canadian Shuttle (with and without ball)
- Partner Pylon Passing
- Continuous shooting
- Ability to fit in competitive line-ups totaling 9 points in a 3X3 format
Additional Considerations:
- Contributions to team cohesiveness and team chemistry
- Interpersonal relationships with teammates
- Substitutions for particular players in particular line-ups
- Specialized roles in particular line-ups
- “Coachability” – the ability to receive and process feedback in a positive manner for improvement and development
- Mental skills, such as resilience, determination, positivity, concentration,
- Demonstrated respect for teammates, coaches, opponents, officials, and others
Selection-Criteria-2023-2024-Ontario-Junior-Wheelchair-Basketball-Team-2
Athlete Registration
All athletes who wish to be part of the Team Ontario Junior Program for the 2024-2025 season will be required to REGISTER ONLINE and pay their season fee prior to attending their first training camp.
2024-2025 Training Schedule
| Location | Camp | Date |
| Abilities Centre | Open | September 28, 2024 |
| Carleton University | Open | November 2, 2024 |
| Canada Games Park | Open | December 14, 2024 |
| Abilities Centre | Closed | January 18, 2025 |
| Carleton University | Closed | February 15, 2025 |
| Canada Games Park | Closed | March 15, 2026 |
Sponsors and Supporters
ONPARA would like to thank the following companies and organizations who have generously supported the Team Ontario Junior program and our athletes during the 2024-2025 season.
 |
United Steelworker Sault Ste Marie Donated $500.00 |
 |
Urban Automotive Donated $100.00 |
| Jennifer N. |
Donated $100.00 |
 |
Good Guys Auto Donated $60.00 |
| Jimmy F. | Donated $100.00 |
Thank you to all the family members, friends, and individual supporters who have also contributed to our various fundraising initiatives for the team!
Contacts
Kathy Ludwig
Head Coach, Junior Provincial Program
647-207-6732
kathy@onpara.ca
Tammy Lyle-Gravlev
High-Performance Coordinator
tammy@onpara.ca
Past Athlete Roster
In Memory Of
Catherine Kimberly Nelson (March 30, 2005 – April 24, 2020)
Catherine Nelson was named to Team Ontario in the fall of 2019. As a bright and talented young athlete, it was her power, strength, and determination on the court that stood out. She was extremely coachable, and absorbed information from her coaches and executed plays with ease. She had the true makings of a high performance athlete and we were incredibly excited to continue watching her develop and progress. Although quiet on court, her teammates could always find her when they needed help. Catherine was always in the play and never hesitated when the ball was in her hands. She loved to challenge herself and was hungry to learn more. She had a real passion for the game and played with a quiet confidence that will be missed.