Post on 20-May-2015
Academics, Athletics, and the Diverse Community
Bryon Martin, Ph.D.Assistant Professor of Recreation
Chicago State University
HISTORY• “Insufficient documentation exists of the 60-plus years in the
history of wheelchair basketball,” (Labanowich and Thiboutot)• Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and National Wheelchair
Basketball Association (NWBA)• 1940’s California, Massachusettes, England, (Guttmann netball)• Lower the Goals? Women?• Athletes vs. Patients• Research has been devoted to wheelchair basketball participants
and coaches• There is a dearth focused on the wheelchair basketball referee
Program Social Change Components
• Combat Inner City Gang Violence• Develop Interpersonal Skills • Experiential Learning• Model for Best Practice Strategy for Servant
Leadership (Greenleaf)• Community Entity Synergy Strategy teamed
with Chicago Park District, Special Recreation Districts and the NWBA
Program Avenues
• Examples of current programs offering officiating training in Higher Education setting:
• Sport Coaching and Officiating Minor, (Middle Tennessee State University
• Community Education Training/Certification, (University of Southern Indiana)
PARTICIPANTS
3 Male StudentsStudents played University-level or High
School basketballCurrently enrolled in the Recreation or
Physical Education Program at Chicago StateInstitutional Review Board ApprovalParticipant Permission
Training
• Mechanics and Rules Training, (NWBA, NCAA)• Web-based Rules Exam Moodle• Live-Game Shadowing• Half-time Group Discussions and Reflection• Live-Game with worked with Experienced
Partner• Utilized NCAA basketball evaluation form• One video observation session
FINDINGS• Themes were extracted from participant “crew interviews.”
Examples include:• “You have to keep your sympathy card in your wallet.”• “It’s not about the money.”• “I like being involved with my community.”• “I do it for the camaraderie.”• “Officiating keeps me fit.”• “I blew my whistle and called time when a wheelchair and player
toppled over as a fast-break continued for the other team. When I stopped play, the offensive team was upset, everyone knew the toppled player was not hurt…no need to stop play.”
SUCCESS STORIES
• One Student secured a physical education teaching position with the Chicago Public Schools.
• One student is currently working with an after-school program and has completed an interview as an Inclusion Aid with the Chicago Park District.
• One student has chosen to be a leader-siblings chose the gang lifestyle.
IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
• Partner with the NWBA to update referee data, evaluation criteria, training and recruitment components, advocacy
• Inclusion of Timers and Scorekeepers in Program
• Women and Officials with disabilities participation
• Sources of stress and coping strategies
• “Through the smoke and glare of Madison Square garden, the basketball court…Ten husky men in slender metal wheelchairs were lined up for the referee’s whistle…The audience of 15,567 roared.” Labanowich & Thiboutot, 2011