iwbforg

Daily Issues of a Paralympic Athlete – Setting Priorities, International Competition and Life

Mareike Adermann — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 01:23:04 +0000

It’s been a week since I returned to my current home, and I barely feel like I’m caught up on sleep. Six games, two practices and several team meetings in three days combined with a sleep average of six hours took tiredness to another level. Luckily, I had a nine hour flight from London to Chicago to sleep… At least that was the plan. Did you ever try to sleep on a plane though? To me, that is impossible! Either there is babies crying, or the person next to you steals the armrest, or the neck starts hurting from being in the same position for so long, or, or, or.. I could go on and on but in other words: Once I finally arrived at home, 22 hours later, I really needed a bed to recover.

The next morning, I woke up at 5AM. Oh, how I love jet lag! Then, I was wide awake, but later that night, when I had to go to a night lecture for two and a half hours, the only way to stay awake was thinking: “I have to get through this, it’s for Paralympics! I can do this! Only a few hours!” I still had trouble fighting my eyes wanting to shut, but I made it. I even got through two exams the next day. And now here I am, three weeks away from completing another semester, the last one before London, and all caught up on sleep.

The games over Easter in Sheffield were fun. We tested some new lineups and I enjoyed being back with my team playing high quality international basketball. I also got some great minutes, started about half of the games and scored the second most points for our team (I actually didn’t know this until I read the article about our wins afterwards, but it’s an easy way of describing I did a decent job without any self-praise.).

What excited me most throughout the games was that I got to play in our press lineup! I really like playing at a fast pace, and being able to use my chair and have to defend across the entire court. I enjoy the feeling of putting pressure on other teams by using my quickness to make them insecure. Of course, this doesn’t always work, and it certainly wasn’t always great when we did it. But we are working on it and it is fun to me. I especially love it because I can really feel I got something done on the court even if I play for only a few minutes. It’s not just a shot and some movement on a square meter; it’s actual hustling at the limit the entire time! Like I said, I love it!

I wish we could have games all the time, but unfortunately that fun was only to be enjoyed over Easter. Now we are taking a little game break and won’t return until May 19. That day, we will play in Frankfurt, Germany. The competition will be even better and tougher but that only makes it more exciting! Until then, it is time to train, train and train… And I guess I shouldn’t forget to take my exams to complete my courses this semester… Oh well, 2012 is a Paralympic year, the next one won’t be for another four years, so I have my priorities straight! How about you?

Starting off the paralympic year!

Mareike Adermann — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:17:37 +0000

The German senior team after becoming European Champions 2011 - hungry for more!

Last weekend, the German senior team had the first training camp in Frankfurt. It was chaotic because two players were hurt, three had other occupations and could only take part in specific sessions but in the end it went really well. We played tough and had a lot of fun.

As soon as I got to my German home, on Sunday, I had to begin studying and writing papers because I am missing over a week of school in the United States to be here and start off the paralympic year. Luckily, I had informed most of my professors in December or January that I will be missing classes, so they were willing to accommodate the schedules for me and allowed me to send in homework’s via email. Not many universities are flexible and allow such absences, which is one of the reasons why I chose to go to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Throughout my entire three years there, I only had trouble with one professor that wasn’t willing to help me out to complete my work for him and play for the national team but even then I could find a solution.

Starting off the World Championship Final 2010 - learning experience..

Tomorrow, our team will get on a plane again to travel to the first games of the year. We will play at the “Standard Life Tri-Nations Cup” in Sheffield, England. Even though most of us are used to traveling a lot and we have worse trips on the schedule this year, e.g. twenty-four hour flights to Australia etc., tomorrow will be crazy as well. Half of our team will be flying from Hamburg to Munich to then connect to Manchester, even though Munich is the opposite direction. Only few of us have direct flights but even then we aren’t much luckier because we might have to wait at the airport for three hours until the rest of the team arrives. Once all of that is completed we will have to load a bus and drive an hour to our accommodations. I hope we get there before 1AM but chances are we won’t. Anyways, I’m sure we can sleep in the next morning since we only have one practice and two games on Friday…. Enough negativity – I’m excited to get the opportunity to be here even though I should be in class and am able to compete and get ready for the Paralympics 2012!!

P.S. If you would like to see the schedule and follow live stats Friday, Saturday and Sunday, check out this website: http://www.gbwba.org.uk/gbwba/index.cfm/calendar/standard-life-tri-nations-cup/#.T3tlht1xSzI.facebook

Join us on Pinterest

IWBF International Wheelchair Basketball Federation — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:45:08 +0000

Pinterest is an on-line social network sharing scrapbook project where people and organizations share images with the community. They IWBF has created our own Pinterest Pin-board scrapbooks so we can share our images with you.

The IWBF is comprised of people, places, events, activities, equipment and so much more than words can sometimes demonstrate. Take a look here http://pinterest.com/iwbf/

2012 IWBF Bloggers Search

IWBF International Wheelchair Basketball Federation — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:50:13 +0000

April 2012 and the IWBF is about to send out an invitation to all of our Wheelchair Basketball Community members asking you to join us as a blogger.

We are looking for individuals, teams and organizations.

Are you an athletes, coach, official, staff, organizer, volunteer, family or friend, fan of Wheelchair Basketball? Are you waiting with enthusiasm and excitement for the London 2012 paralympics where you know Wheelchair Basketball is always a huge highlight?

If you can not wait to receive your invitation send us a message – you can email us at iwbforg@gmail.com or iwbfsecretariat@aol.com.

We have had some amazing bloggers helping us learn the blogging ropes since last years U25 Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Championships in Ontario, Canada. Some of them are back blogging about their experiences and journey to London.

You do not have to be a paralympian to contribute to our blogs. Just be someone who wants to help showcase the ups and sometimes downs, hardwork, fun, friendships, frustrations, story of a lifetime journey that you can find when connected to the wheel chair basketball community.

UW-Whitewater Warhawks are on top of the United States with the first-ever double championship!

Mareike Adermann — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 04:52:46 +0000

In today’s U.S. National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament – the UW-Whitewater Warhawks men and women both won the championship games. Both teams were ready, prepared and had more will to win the trophys than any other. Both teams pulled away from the beginning and never let their opponents recover. The women’s won 63-34 and the men won 101-60.

I’m proud to be a part of this amazing program, and I’m proud to say we have captured the first ever double championship for men’s and women’s national intercollegiate championship titles within one program and one year. This shows the quality of our hard work and the efforts we put into getting better every single day.

Whitewater’s women’s team only finished its fourth year of existence. This year is also the first year that some of our athletes are graduating and the team will loose veterans. Nevertheless, we are excited to continue this great story of success by taking on the challenge and carrying over the things we learned and teach our younger players how to get it done.

If you would like to continue hearing about our work, success, etc., check out our Facebook page or website: http://www.uww.edu/recsports/wcathletics/

For me, it is now time to prepare for the Paralympics 2012, which will be the next exciting wheelchair basketball event! I will keep updating you with blog posts on my way there, so keep looking out for them.

Thank you for all your support, thank you for everyone that followed my last post and watched our great games this weekend and thank you for your interest!

US Championships: National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament

Mareike Adermann — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 01:47:51 +0000

Before getting back to Germany to practice with my teammates for the Paralympics 2012, me and many other paralympic athletes will compete in the National Championships for US College wheelchair basketball! The tournament takes place in Champaign, Illinois March 8-10! Both divisions (men’s and women’s) have several teams head to head, so it will be a very exciting weekend of basketball! All games will be streamed online, so if you would like to follow these high quality competitions, check out the following links!

Schedule: http://www.uww.edu/recsports/wcathletics/niwbt.html

Live Stream: http://stickam.com/niwbt

Game 2 Wrap-Up – Team Mexico Celebrates

IWBF International Wheelchair Basketball Federation — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 15:53:30 +0000

From Mexico after watching the women from Mexico celebrate their well deserved victory and after feeling their excitement over winning a trip to London for the 2012 paralympics . . .

Game Day 2 of the series and the day in Mexico started out warm again and in Winnipeg is still cold and snowing.

When I arrived at the gym at about 3:30 Mexico was sitting focusing on what they needed to do. South Africa arrived a bit later and they too sat quietly for a bit of time before both teams got into their pre-game warm-up routine.

You can read about the game on the IWBF website but one think I do want to say is how proud I am of both teams, Mexico for the great job they did making South Africa feel welcome and South Africa for their positive up beat attitude all the time.

I think it was no surprise to anyone when Mexico won the right to go to London but it was sure nice to see the way they played and the fun everyone had.

Tomorrows game is just for fun and isn’t that what all games should be about.

Last night we did the referee post game in my suite – I must admit I am enjoying myself working with the referees post-game briefing using the observer program. This great program allows us to live tag during the game and then watch the clips right after while the memory of the game is still fresh. What a great way for us all to learn and find ways to elevate the technical side of calling these games.

Juan Magallanes one of the referees from Mexico has been a great help with this, and I would like to think that Juan, along with the other referees Charles Foster from South Africa and Euclides Estrada and Valentin Juarez, both from Mexico, benefited from the opportunity

Until next time.

Maureen Orchard

IWBF President

Mexico Wins a Trip to London 2012

IWBF International Wheelchair Basketball Federation — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 06:51:46 +0000

Hello from a late night in Mexico

Tonight the 2nd of a best two out of three series between Mexico’s women’s wheelchair basketball team and South Africa’s has concluded with Mexico winning both games and earning the trip to London for the 2012 paralympics.

For more information and details head over to the IWBF website http://www.iwbf.org/

Thank you to our teams from Mexico and South Africa. Thank you to our officiating crew

The 3rd scheduled game will be played on Sunday as an exhibition game and an opportunity for both teams to continue to grow, learn and have fun.

Maureen Orchard

IWBF President

Pictures from Mexico Game one – Mexico and South Africa

IWBF International Wheelchair Basketball Federation — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 01:29:32 +0000

A follow up to yesterdays blog on game one from Mexico – Mexico and South Africa. Mexico was victorious. Here are some images from the game.

More Images coming after game two.

Maureen Orchard,

IWBF President

Mexico One Game Away from Paralympic Spot

IWBF International Wheelchair Basketball Federation — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:45:12 +0000

Day 2 in Mexico City

Today started nice and sunny again while back home in Winnipeg Canada it continued to snow, although I am told it “warmed up” to only -7. So Mexico City remains a nice place for me to be.

A nice place to train also for the big game tonight. The Mexico Paralympic Center offers teams a place to sleep, eat and train all within a compound which is completely wheelchair accessible. A real treat for the athletes to not have to use transport to get from the accommodation to the training center.

The first game between Mexico and South Africa started at 5 PM CT with introductions. A nice, warmly enthusiastic crowd greeted the players as they came out. When the game started you could feel the tension between the teams with dreams of a trip to London 2012 to play Wheelchair Basketball before the world on the line.

Mexico would come out victorious tonight but South Africa got a chance to play in their first ever qualification tournament for the Paralympic Games and made a good showing for themselves.

Tomorrow is a big game for both teams as it could mean the end of a dream for South Africa and the start of one for Mexico. Whoever wins it is clear that both teams respect each other and want to enjoy the experience. Wheelchair basketball brings athletes together from all over the world to compete at an elite level, test themselves, learn about other countries and cultures and gain experiences few will every enjoy.

Until tomorrow, have a great day!

Maureen Orchard,

IWBF President