Windsor a growing hub for wheelchair sports
By Michal Tellos
Sports Editor
August 6, 2008
 Wheelchair sports are growing each year. Need proof? Just take a look at both the city and University of Windsor, where several large-scale wheelchair events have been held here just this summer.
Near the beginning of July, the Canadian Olympic Trials were held in conjunction with the Canadian Track and Field Championships.
Also, for the second consecutive year, this championship was integrated, that is, inclusive of both able and disabled athletes.
Jeff May, a nationally decorated wheelchair athlete who has won the Ontario Championships 24 times, who has been a Canadian champion, and winner of the Maui Marathon, believes that there is room for much more exposure and publicity.
“We get very little to no television coverage, even during the Paralympic Games. It’s very sad that even in the year 2008 we are still struggling to be taken seriously as athletes. In my sport [track & field] the able-bodied competitions hardly get covered either,” he said.
“I mean look at the Olympic Trials hosted right here in Windsor this year, they were not broadcast live. CBC just taped it and put an edited package together and aired it two weeks after the fact,” he contested.
“If the best able-bodied meets can’t get covered live in this country what hope is there for Para Athletics?” he asked.
However, May did state that Windsor is a forerunner in wheelchair sports.
“I do believe Windsor is leading the way, though, as the first integrated Canadian Championships in track & field, meaning both able-bodied and athletes with a disability competed at the same competition venues at the same meet, [was] held right here in Windsor the past two years,” he said.
Shortly following the trials, on July 12, the University of Windsor stadium played host to the Boiling Point Classic – an international tournament.
The tournament, only in its second year of existence, was organized by May and the president of the Windsor Bulldogs Disabled Sports Club, Dave Greig. It has been a huge hit since its inception.
“Our inaugural event was held right here at the new University of Windsor stadium on July 7th 2007. We secured the bid to host the selection trials for the men’s and women’s 1500 metre wheelchair events to be held at the IAAF World Championships in Osaka, Japan later that summer. Quite the feather in our cap considering Dave and I were both under the age of 30 and rookie event organizers,” he said.
“We welcomed 100 athletes from 10 different countries in that first year and it received rave reviews within the Para Athletics community all across the globe,” he added.
This year’s tournament, if possible, was an even greater success, with greater involvement and attendance.
“The ‘08 edition saw three new World Records established and multiple Canadian records were broken as well. We also hosted the first ever Ontario Para Athletics Championships, which really added something to the developmental aspect of our program. It allowed the best Ontario athletes to see and compete on the same track as the elite international athletes, which I know was exciting for them,” he said.
Just over two weeks later, the city of Windsor played host to yet another big wheelchair sports event, this time involving the Paralympic women’s wheelchair basketball team.
Attending the event were several team members, including Windsor’s own Misty Thomas, and Saskatchewan’s Lisa Franks, a World-Record holder and gold medalist in track and field in past Paralympic games.
The team took part in a meet-and-greet with Mayor Eddie Francis on Tuesday, July 29, and an exhibition game the following evening, featuring the team itself along with several other local personalities.
Although these events are landmarks within the sport, May stresses that to the average sports fan, wheelchair sports are completely unknown.
“As both a high level athlete and an event organizer this has been the source of my biggest frustration,” he said.
“We have amazing athletes and once people are exposed to it they love it, yet I’m still trying to figure out how to get the average sports fan into our venues in the first place, to get that initial exposure,” said Greig.
In regards to aspiring wheelchair athletes, May stressed that they don’t give up, and go out and simply try.
“The opportunities and support systems are out there, unfortunately you need to go out and look for them. A perfect example is the Windsor Bulldogs Disabled Sports Club, which has been around for over 30 years right here in Windsor and yet no one knows about us,” he explained.
“We joke among ourselves that we are the best-kept secret in Windsor. Unfortunately we don’t want that title,” he said.
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