Our last family profile in Family Week of the "40 Years. 40 Sports. 40 Days" campaign is on the Higgins Family. Those of you active in wheelchair basketball will likely recognize Joe and Louise Higgins and their daughters Erin, Christine and Paula, but did you know that Joe and Louise actually met while competing at swimming in the 1988 Seoul Paralympics? This sport-loving family also skis, golfs and bike rides together. Today, we talk to Louise Higgins about how involvement in wheelchair sports impacted her family.
1. How did you get involved in wheelchair sports?
Our family began our involvement through Joe. He has been involved with wheelchair basketball since he was young. I met Joe on the plane on the way to Seoul in 1988 where we both competed at the Paralympics in swimming. Since then, our family has skied together, played wheelchair basketball together (all 5 of us!) and biked around our neighbourhood together. Joe and I play golf as much as we can in the spring and summer.
2. Why did you decide to get involved in wheelchair sports to the extent that you did?
We didn't really decide to be involved exactly. It just happened prompted by our desire to pursue sports activities as a family and maintained by sheer enjoyment.
3. Describe the ways in which you've been involved in wheelchair sports.
I started with swimming (not really wheelchair swimming, though!) and skiing in the 1980s. I used to ride my bike on campus (to get to class on time!) and now I share that with the kids. Golf is something Joe and I started a few years ago to move us to our retirement plan!
When Joe and I got married, he was heavily involved in coaching wheelchair basketball. In the early days when Erin was a baby, we had lots of athletes coming over to train with Joe on the rollers and to benefit from some one-on-one coaching. Exposure for Erin started early!
Joe stayed home with the other two kids after his coaching role changed. As they grew up, he continued to be involved in basketball, but we also took up skiing more seriously. All three of the girls started skiing before age 5. We spent a lot of time up at Big White and Joe developed his abilities with the sit ski. Joe never goes half measures with any of his interests and soon we were teaching up at Whistler with their adaptive ski program!
In 2004, Joe was approached to fill in as coach with the Calgary Rollers during a tournament in Vancouver. By this time, I had been playing a bit of basketball in the City League for fun. I was asked to play in the tournament so that they could make points. After one day, I was exhausted as I have never been before or since. I guess I did okay because both Joe and I had our contracts extended with the Rollers for the rest of the season and into the next season!
4. How has being involved in wheelchair sports impacted your family?
As mentioned, we continue to enjoy many ski vacations as a family and all three of the girls are good skiers now. This has contributed greatly to family cohesion. Because wheelchair basketball offers opportunities for able-bodied people, this has allowed our daughters to experience sport with their father. They have played regularly in the junior tournament in Richmond. Erin in particular has discovered her love of the sport and went to Halifax for the Canada Winter Games. She has found her inner agro personality despite being a generally gentle-spirited person. In a more general way, our involvement in wheelchair sports has promoted in our daughters a sense of tolerance and understanding of diversity in others.
5. How has the wheelchair sports community in BC changed since you first got involved?
I think there is more awareness of wheelchair sports in the able-bodied community and a perception that it is foremost a sport and not adaptive fitness for "the handicapped."
6. What is your wheelchair sports highlight from the past 40 years?
Playing with Erin and Joe on the Vintage Cable Cars team that also includes Erin's godfather Peter Colistro and the Lundie team. It is a real pleasure to share the sport with two generations of athletes!
7. How does it make you feel to watch your kids competing in wheelchair sports?
I have been really proud of Erin in her involvement in the sport. With success comes her desire for further involvement.
For those of you who missed it the first time around, here's Joe and Erin talking about their experience at the 2011 Canada Winter Games.
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Story 21: The Gardner Family
Just as wheelchair sports would not exist in Prince George without the Harris family, Victoria owes a similar debt to the Gardner family. For over 20 years, the Gardner family, (Lynn, Ron and their children Kevin and Karen), worked to ensure that athletes from Vancouver Island were able to compete at the same level as those on the mainland. Whether serving on a board of directors or just making sure that a local athlete got a hot meal or a ride to practice, the Gardner family made the Victoria wheelchair sports community better.
Lynn Gardner began volunteering in the late 1970s when her son Kevin became involved in wheelchair sports at age 9. She served as an assistant manager or manager at several competitions, including 10 BC Games, and even took a team from Victoria to a competition in Morioka, Japan. Lynn was also an executive member of the Victoria Wheelchair Sports Association for 20 years and a board member of the BC Wheelchair Sports Association for several years.
Her son Kevin continued her volunteering legacy. Not only did he compete at a high level in wheelchair basketball and racing -- including participating in the 1988 Paralympics in Seoul in the 500m and 10000m -- but he has also served as the co-commissioner of the BC Wheelchair Basketball League, the chairperson of the Victoria Wheelchair Sports Association, and a member of the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association's Athletics Committee. Kevin was also the long-time player-coach of Victoria's wheelchair basketball team and coached several teams at BC Games.
We interviewed both Kevin and Lynn to find out how wheelchair sports impacted their family:
1. How and when did you get involved in wheelchair sports?
Lynn: We got involved with wheelchair sports when Kevin was 9 after being introduced to it by Linda Hunt, who was also a Sidney resident.
Kevin: My first competition was (I think) swimming in the 1977 BC Games for the Physically Disabled. I was starting to get involved with some wheelchair sports in Victoria by that time, although for quite a few years my favourite sport was playing road hockey with my friends in the neighbourhood.
2. Why did you decide to get involved in wheelchair sports to the extent that you did?
Lynn: Kevin was interested, so we all followed along as a family doing whatever we needed to do to help. As the years went by, I got more involved with our Victoria group and then with BC Wheelchair Sports. Our first trip as a family was to Spokane with other Victoria athletes and it just continued from there. We put many miles on our vehicles over the years to make sure that Kevin and others got to all our local activities.
Kevin: I kept playing sports just because I kept having fun trying new sports, traveling and meeting people. Competing at multi-sport events like the BC Games exposed me to basketball, tennis and racing and I competed in all of these for quite a few years. After the basketball nationals in 1987 I decided to focus on racing to try to get to the 1988 Paralympics.
3. How has being involved in wheelchair sports impacted your family?
Lynn: All our family was involved in many activities, but many were just Kevin and I. Wheelchair sports becomes like a big family once you are involved no matter where you are from. It really was a big part of my life for many years.
Kevin: My family spent a great deal of time around competitions, even camping near where the BC Games were being held in the summer. Until I was old enough to drive, my mom was in the car a lot driving me to wherever sports were being played. My mom's involvement lead to her own volunteering career as a team manager/ official. All of us have met great people and made a lot of friends through wheelchair sports.
4. How has the wheelchair sports community changed since you've been involved?
Lynn: Wheelchair sports has grown so much since I first started. It has expanded to include so many sports and opportunities for so many people. There is no doubt that this a result of the leadership of our Executive Director Kathy Newman and the staff and board members she has put together over the years. Thank you Kathy, staff and board for all the years of dedication to the athletes, which is what BCWSA is all about.
Kevin: There is more of everything: more opportunities in sports in more parts of the province and much better awareness of what's available. When I got involved, people were just beginning to play tennis and racquetball and no one was skiing or playing sledge hockey. Most people had never seen a wheelchair sport unless they knew someone who was involved or the demo team had come to their school.
5. What is your wheelchair sport highlight from the past 40 years?
Lynn: It is hard for me to pick one highlight, since every competition has its great memories. For me personally, the race that was most exciting involved Kevin at the track trials in Edmonton where he, Paul Clark and Dan Wesley qualified for the Olympic trials in Belgium in 1987. As a family, our involvement with Richard and Marni's family has been a highlight for us. It was a privilege for us to be included in several honourings for them in Duncan. The people I met through all the years of involvement are really what make being involved with BCWSA such a great memory.
Kevin: Qualifying for the trials (held in Brussels) for the 1988 Seoul Olympic wheelchair 1500m demonstration event. To get to the trials, I had to finish in the top four in a qualifying race held at the 1988 Canadian nationals in Edmonton. Over the last 200 meters of that race I went from last place to fourth, passing everyone except Andre Viger, Dan Wesley and Paul Clark.
Thank you to the Gardners for their years of service to the BC wheelchair sports community. Below is a photo slideshow of the Gardners in action:
Lynn Gardner began volunteering in the late 1970s when her son Kevin became involved in wheelchair sports at age 9. She served as an assistant manager or manager at several competitions, including 10 BC Games, and even took a team from Victoria to a competition in Morioka, Japan. Lynn was also an executive member of the Victoria Wheelchair Sports Association for 20 years and a board member of the BC Wheelchair Sports Association for several years.
Her son Kevin continued her volunteering legacy. Not only did he compete at a high level in wheelchair basketball and racing -- including participating in the 1988 Paralympics in Seoul in the 500m and 10000m -- but he has also served as the co-commissioner of the BC Wheelchair Basketball League, the chairperson of the Victoria Wheelchair Sports Association, and a member of the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association's Athletics Committee. Kevin was also the long-time player-coach of Victoria's wheelchair basketball team and coached several teams at BC Games.
We interviewed both Kevin and Lynn to find out how wheelchair sports impacted their family:
1. How and when did you get involved in wheelchair sports?
Lynn: We got involved with wheelchair sports when Kevin was 9 after being introduced to it by Linda Hunt, who was also a Sidney resident.
Kevin: My first competition was (I think) swimming in the 1977 BC Games for the Physically Disabled. I was starting to get involved with some wheelchair sports in Victoria by that time, although for quite a few years my favourite sport was playing road hockey with my friends in the neighbourhood.
2. Why did you decide to get involved in wheelchair sports to the extent that you did?
Lynn: Kevin was interested, so we all followed along as a family doing whatever we needed to do to help. As the years went by, I got more involved with our Victoria group and then with BC Wheelchair Sports. Our first trip as a family was to Spokane with other Victoria athletes and it just continued from there. We put many miles on our vehicles over the years to make sure that Kevin and others got to all our local activities.
Kevin: I kept playing sports just because I kept having fun trying new sports, traveling and meeting people. Competing at multi-sport events like the BC Games exposed me to basketball, tennis and racing and I competed in all of these for quite a few years. After the basketball nationals in 1987 I decided to focus on racing to try to get to the 1988 Paralympics.
3. How has being involved in wheelchair sports impacted your family?
Lynn: All our family was involved in many activities, but many were just Kevin and I. Wheelchair sports becomes like a big family once you are involved no matter where you are from. It really was a big part of my life for many years.
Kevin: My family spent a great deal of time around competitions, even camping near where the BC Games were being held in the summer. Until I was old enough to drive, my mom was in the car a lot driving me to wherever sports were being played. My mom's involvement lead to her own volunteering career as a team manager/ official. All of us have met great people and made a lot of friends through wheelchair sports.
4. How has the wheelchair sports community changed since you've been involved?
Lynn: Wheelchair sports has grown so much since I first started. It has expanded to include so many sports and opportunities for so many people. There is no doubt that this a result of the leadership of our Executive Director Kathy Newman and the staff and board members she has put together over the years. Thank you Kathy, staff and board for all the years of dedication to the athletes, which is what BCWSA is all about.
Kevin: There is more of everything: more opportunities in sports in more parts of the province and much better awareness of what's available. When I got involved, people were just beginning to play tennis and racquetball and no one was skiing or playing sledge hockey. Most people had never seen a wheelchair sport unless they knew someone who was involved or the demo team had come to their school.
5. What is your wheelchair sport highlight from the past 40 years?
Lynn: It is hard for me to pick one highlight, since every competition has its great memories. For me personally, the race that was most exciting involved Kevin at the track trials in Edmonton where he, Paul Clark and Dan Wesley qualified for the Olympic trials in Belgium in 1987. As a family, our involvement with Richard and Marni's family has been a highlight for us. It was a privilege for us to be included in several honourings for them in Duncan. The people I met through all the years of involvement are really what make being involved with BCWSA such a great memory.
Kevin: Qualifying for the trials (held in Brussels) for the 1988 Seoul Olympic wheelchair 1500m demonstration event. To get to the trials, I had to finish in the top four in a qualifying race held at the 1988 Canadian nationals in Edmonton. Over the last 200 meters of that race I went from last place to fourth, passing everyone except Andre Viger, Dan Wesley and Paul Clark.
Thank you to the Gardners for their years of service to the BC wheelchair sports community. Below is a photo slideshow of the Gardners in action:
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Story 20: The Harris Family
Today, we profile the Harris family. Pat Harris is a former Paralympian who has competed in both track and basketball. When he and his wife Nancy moved to Prince George in 1980, they realized that there were no wheelchair sports opportunities in the area. Today, Pat, Nancy and their son Avril are working harder than ever to ensure that people with disabilities have access to quality sports and recreational opportunities in Prince George, including the exciting new Let's Play program. Want to know more about the Let's Play program? We'll be doing a video blog on it later in the 40 Days initiative, so you'll just have to stick around to find out.
Our social media coordinator traveled to Prince George to interview Pat, Nancy and Avril and find out how wheelchair sports have impacted their family:
Our social media coordinator traveled to Prince George to interview Pat, Nancy and Avril and find out how wheelchair sports have impacted their family:
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Story 19: The Hirschfield Family
Bobby fixes Trevor's chair.
Hustling to change a wheel.
Trevor competes for Team Canada
Today, we profile the efforts of the Hirschfield family and their work in the wheelchair rugby community both within BC and abroad.
Trevor Hirschfield is considered one of the best low-point wheelchair rugby players in the world. He was named Best 1.0 at the 2010 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships and has won many other Tournament All Star awards at national and international events. When Trevor's on the court competing for Team Canada, he doesn't have to look far to find his family. His father Bobby is also involved heavily with the Canadian national team, most recently as an equipment manager at the 2010 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships. The entire Hirschfield clan is usually not far behind. They're known to be ardent wheelchair rugby fans and even traveled to the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing to witness Trevor win a bronze medal.
Within BC, Trevor and his family have also been instrumental in developing wheelchair rugby on Vancouver Island. As one of the few national team athletes who lives in BC full-time, he mentors developing athletes and participates in demos and Have a Go days. Trevor's public speaking has also introduced British Columbians to wheelchair rugby.
We sat down to talk to Trevor about the impact his family has had on his career:
Q: Why did you decide to get involved in wheelchair rugby to the extent that you did?
A: My first attempt at rugby was in 2001 at a Have A Go day in Victoria. Duncan Campbell made sure that I wasn't going to miss it with all the constant reminders. After trying rugby for the first time I knew that it would be something that I would be interested in pursuing to the next level. I was really drawn to the physical aspect of the sport. It's not everyday you get to see two wheelchairs crash into each other at full speed. Being an ex-hockey player the physical part of the game felt natural.
Q: How has being involved in wheelchair rugby impacted your family?
Rugby has been great for my family. It gave me goals and something to work towards and my family has supported me every step of the way. Rugby helped my to move on with my life after my injury which has been extremely positive for both me and my family.
Q: What is your wheelchair rugby highlight so far?
My favourite rugby moment was getting to play on the world stage in front of my family in Beijing. I loved that I was able to share that moment with them.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Story 18: The Abbott-Peter Family
Today, we continue Family Week of the "40 Years. 40 Stories. 40 Days" campaign by celebrating the Abbott-Peter clan. Most people in the B.C. wheelchair sports community are familiar with Marni Abbott-Peter and Richard Peter, who are two of B.C.'s most decorated Paralympians. Less well known are the contributions of their families, who have done everything from travel worldwide to cheer on Team Canada to create art for logos and awards.
Instead of devoting a few thousand words to the contributions of this family, we decided to put together a little video together with some photos supplied by both families. Music: The Avett Brothers - "Head Full of Doubt/ Road Full of Promise" from the "I and Love and You" album.
Instead of devoting a few thousand words to the contributions of this family, we decided to put together a little video together with some photos supplied by both families. Music: The Avett Brothers - "Head Full of Doubt/ Road Full of Promise" from the "I and Love and You" album.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Story 17: Family
It may be Family Day in parts of Canada today, but it's Family Week here at BC Wheelchair Sports. This week, we'll be profiling several influential families who have participated in wheelchair sports as athletes, coaches, supporters, and builders.
To kick off Family Week in our 40 Years, 40 Stories, 40 Days campaign, we've put together a video blog about a second generation of wheelchair athletes, some of whom who recently competed at the 2011 Halifax Canada Winter Games. Erin Higgins, Derek Lundie and Avril Harris all got involved in wheelchair basketball because their parents are former elite wheelchair athletes. We talk to both the athletes and their parents to see how these kids went from gym rats to respected athletes in their own right.
To kick off Family Week in our 40 Years, 40 Stories, 40 Days campaign, we've put together a video blog about a second generation of wheelchair athletes, some of whom who recently competed at the 2011 Halifax Canada Winter Games. Erin Higgins, Derek Lundie and Avril Harris all got involved in wheelchair basketball because their parents are former elite wheelchair athletes. We talk to both the athletes and their parents to see how these kids went from gym rats to respected athletes in their own right.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)