Memphis Rollin' Grizzlies

Last night, my classmates and I went to watch the Memphis Rollin' Grizzlies at one of their practices. This is a group of individuals in the Memphis area that are in a wheelchair and play basketball. This experience was absolutely amazing! We watched them as they transitioned themselves into their chairs they use for basketball, and we got to see how each person, specifically, prepared for the game. Some wore gloves, some didn't, some had injuries that allowed them to walk but not run so they were able to play wheelchair basketball as well. This to me was surprising to see, I thought that was a really interesting aspect of the game because it provided a great amount of diversity. As we watched them warm up, I don't think any of us expected what we were about to see next. To our surprise, they were very intense! For the most part, the rules were the same as regular basketball aside from a few exceptions. They were so into it, that some were tipping their wheelchairs and running into others to block them. It was great to see them get back up like it was nothing and keep going. Something else I thought was interesting was that they played for an hour and a half. All I could think about was how much upper body strength it takes for them to play that hard for that long. After the game, they let us get in their chairs and try to shoot the basketball. It was definitely harder than it looks, and it was a great experience. My main take away from this is that people who are in wheelchairs, or someone that may be a little different from us can still do the things they love. I was definitely in my "OT mind" last night as I watched them do something they were interested in. It was obvious that this sport is meaningful to them, and it warmed my heart to see them carry out activities that they want to do regardless of what some think could be a limitation. Last night, it was not a limitation at all, it was something that was empowering and a tool they could use as a benefit. To see them laugh and genuinely enjoy themselves was heart warming and extremely humbling. It furthered my learning to see these individuals doing activities that OTs could play a role in. It gave me great insight to see what their capabilities and actions were, and how they manipulated the chair and their body to make the shots and propel themselves down the court.