Wheelchair basketball season returns to the River Center
Wheelchair basketball is back for another season at Benton Parks and Recreation.
From January 23 to March 12, wheelchairs will be racing along the court of the River Center.
“I love seeing the smiles on their faces,” said coach Daniel Torchinsky.
Torchinsky is relatively new to the program, but he did not hesitate to jump in when needed.
“I’ve always wanted to have a job in the community, reaching out,” he said. “When I was hired at the River Center, I was told my job would mostly be with the adaptive community. From there I’ve grown to know the families. It is a tight-knit community.”
Seeing the community outreach at play, a former co-worker encouraged Torchinsky to take over wheelchair basketball as part of the adaptive sports program.
Created in 1946 by World War II veterans, wheelchair
basketball began as a way to pass the time in the VA hospital. It grew to six teams over two years, at which time the National Wheelchair Basketball Association was officially formed. The sport is very similar to a traditional game, with few exceptions.
“It really doesn’t differ that much, other than when it comes to the chairs. You can only do two pushes and then have to dribble. That makes it super hard,” Torchinsky explained. “The net and height level is the same, all the rules
are the same. You can run into other people in the front, but cannot spin them out in the back half of the chair. It gets really competitive.”
Benton’s program, which meets on Tuesdays from 6:308:30 p.m., strives to be more local and low-key than others. They have looked into competing against other teams, but have not yet made that step. Instead, the focus is on having fun and learning from one another. The first hour focuses
on skills and drills; the last focuses on game development. Those with more experience are able to pass along the essentials of game play, but it’s all in good fun.
“We have a wide range of skill when it comes to our program,” Torchinsky said. “There’s no judgement, and no one should be shy to participate. We just go out there to have a great
time.”
There is also no limit to who can participate. Any age group is welcome, and family and friends of individuals in wheelchairs are encouraged to play. Wheelchairs are provided for those who want to join in the fun. Torchinsky said that doesn’t come without some good-natured ribbing.
“It’s really funny because our participants get really competitive with it,” he said. “So they always try to run up the
score and trash talk those who don’t need a chair.”
Still, he said, seeing things from others’ perspectives is one of the most rewarding parts of coaching the team.
“They get to compete with each other, where that is not always an option at school. They can run around and have fun. I know how excited they get. They deserve to blow us out of the water.”
The eight-week program is $10 per player, but the other adaptive sports programs — volleyball, Miracle League, and sports camps — offered through the River Center are free. Contact Torchinsky at daniel. torchinsky@bentonar.org for more information.