Julia Grassmick is seen playing wheelchair basketball in this undated photo.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED

The Okanagan’s first youth wheelchair basketball program is coming to West Kelowna this fall.

BC Lets Play has partnered with BC Wheelchair Basketball Society to create an accessible and inclusive environment for kids in wheelchairs, out of wheelchairs, have able bodies or disabilities.

While the region does have a program for adult wheelchair basketball, kids are finally able to participate.

“I think Kelowna’s just ripe and ready to go,” Marni Abbot-Peter of BC Wheelchair Basketball said.

Beginning Sept. 25, kids aged six to 16 years of age can register to play wheelchair basketball for two hours every Wednesday night from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Julia Grassmick, 10, who uses a wheelchair, is raring to play in this league as she is described by her mother as restless and competitive.

Though Julia is in a wheelchair, she doesn’t let her limitations actually limit her and is a very active child who plays a variety of sports.

As wheelchair basketball starts up for the season, Julia is ready to take on another challenge and have fun with peers.

“She’s so active, she’s very competitive. She gets that from us,” Melissa Grassmick, Julia’s mother said. “She’s on the go constantly. If she’s not moving, she’s very sick or she’s asleep. She certainly doesn’t let her spinal cord injury stop her, she just tries to get into as much as she can.”

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The sports program helps kids make friends, gives them a sense of community and helps them engage in sports.

“The wheelchair is just a part of the sporting equipment. It’s actually a really fun sport to play, even if you aren’t a wheelchair user,” Grassmick said. “Kids love it because it’s kind of a novelty for them to be in a chair and using a chair and I think it’s really good education for them to have that experience.”

Melissa, who is an advocate for inclusivity, helped BC Wheelchair Basketball to get the program off the ground and running for kids in the area to enjoy.

Any child of any ability is able to come out to participate and is welcome to play this sport and get involved in the community with what this program has to offer.

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The prospect of a new activity for children in wheelchairs or living with other disabilities is an exciting opportunity, especially since activities and active programs are limited in West Kelowna and the rest of the Okanagan.

“If you’re an able bodied child, neurotypical, typically developing kid, you have your pick of a plethora of different sports,” Melissa said. “But if you’re a child with a disability or a wheelchair user, there was really nothing for you, until now.”

Let’s Play BC provides the sport wheelchairs for participants to use.

“I think it’s really important for Kelowna to take this step and provide those opportunities for these children with disabilities to participate, be active and be on a team,” Abbot-Peter said.

BC Wheelchair Basketball is also working on getting a program up and running in Vernon.

For more information about Let's Play BC go here.

Go here for more information about BC Wheelchair Basketball.

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