Able-bodied Players
Able-bodied players are permitted to play (in wheelchairs) in
the GBWBA National League. They are classified as 5.0 players but the
rules only permit teams to play one able-bodied player on court at any one time.
There are no restrictions on the number of able-bodied players on the team
roster only that only one can be on court at any one time. Able-bodied
athletes, who are able to use their legs to assist their balance whilst sitting
in a wheelchair, have a full range of movement which makes the mechanics of
playing the game much easier for them than a disabled athlete. As a result, the
learning curve of an able-bodied player is very fast and they are generally able
to reach a very high level of play in a relatively short time. Most
able-bodied players sit in a wheelchair with its seat at the maximum permitted
height, utilizing their height and balance to the full, a major advantage in
wheelchair basketball.
Nearly every club in the National League has able-bodied players on its team roster. The GBWBA has over 150 able-bodied players registered with clubs in the league and the number is increasing annually. Unfortunately able-bodied players are not permitted to play in international competition.
Amputee Players
Lower limb amputees are the most sought after players in
wheelchair basketball, particularly in teams in the Super League and National
League 1st Division. Amputees are eligible to play internationally, so
teams competing in European club competitions are always on the look out for
lower limb amputees, particularly tall ones!! In wheelchair basketball,
amputees generally have all the physical attributes an able-bodied player would
have sitting in a wheelchair, good balance, range of movement and an ability to
sit at the maximum height, a major advantage in the sport. Similarly,
their learning curve is the same as an able-bodied player, they are able to play to a
very high level within a fairly short time of coming into the sport.
In Great Britain it is quite difficult to get lower limb amputees to try the sport. Many are actively dissuaded by their physiotherapists not to use a wheelchair, even for sport. This is extremely sad, as wheelchair basketball is an ideal team sport for amputees who are able to excel at the sport. Currently there are only in the region of 150 amputees playing in the National League, which in comparison to most other countries in the world is a very low ratio against other disabilities. Those amputees that have come into the sport are the "stars" of the sport and have been able to demonstrate athleticism, speed, agility, strength and skill which has taken the game to a new level. Most only use the wheelchair, which they consider to be just an item of sporting equipment, to play the game and in their everyday life walk using prosthesis or elbow crutches. It is regrettable that we can't attract more amputees into the sport, it seems many would rather play football hopping around using crutches, as this is "more acceptable" than playing a sport in a wheelchair. Perhaps if they saw the athleticism of the amputees playing wheelchair basketball and compared this to themselves using crutches on a football pitch, they may not quite feel the same!!
There are also a number of double leg amputees playing the game, however, if the amputation has reduced the length of the femur, balance will be a problem and sitting at a maximum height is not always favourable as this requires good balance. Double femoral amputees receive a reduced classification, generally in the region of 3.0 or 3.5, whereas most single or double below knee amputees will be classified as a 4.0 or 4.5 player.
Minimal Disability Players
A new class of player has recently been accepted into the
sport, a minimal disability player. Minimal disability players, once
medically approved by the IWBF classification panel, are eligible to play
internationally. Generally, minimal disability players must meet certain
eligibility standards i.e.
* a wheelchair basketball player is
unable to run, pivot or jump at a speed and with the control, safety, stability
and endurance of an able-bodied athlete.
* a wheelchair basketball player has a permanent physical disability in the
lower limb/s which can be objectively verified by acknowledged medical and/or
paramedical investigations such as measurement, x-ray, CT, MRI, etc.
Over the past few years a number of ex-running game players have been recognized as minimal disability players. These generally have had ligament or some other damage to ankles or knees which has proven to be unrepairable and has curtailed their ability to compete effectively in the running game. However, it is expected that anyone who has suffered this type of injury must have taken every step possible to affect a medical repair before they can be put forward for acceptance as a minimal disability player.