Times Advocate, 1991-11-20, Page 17Students try wheelchair basketball
By Ray Lewis
EXETER - Grade seven and
eight students at Exeter Public
School were given the opportunity
to experience sport from a different
perspective Monday, when mem-
bers of the London Wheelchair
Basketball Association came to put
on a display.
"It didn't look that hard at first,"
said Gillian Gregoire, a grade eight
student. "But you're arms really
get tired after a while."
The visiting group was com-
prised of members from both the
London Flyers and London
Flames, who travel the continent
enjoying a game they have come to
love.
Bruce Smith has been involved
with the sport for 14 years and
credits the game as having helped
him deal with his condition both
physically and mentally.
"When I ended up in a chair I
spent a year feeling sorry for my-
self and then the guys got me out
playing basketball," said Smith.
"It helped me to realize I could still
play sports."
The sport itself began in the
United States many years ago
when it was decided that disabled
needed some type of physical and
mental outlet that would proved to
be therapeutic. It was started in
Chicago by the Paralyzed Veterans
Association, and later developed
into a league. The best teams still
Chris Jones (right), of Exeter Public School gets ready for a shot during a wheelchair basket-
ball
asketball game at the school Monday. Members of the London Wheelchair Basketball Association
were on hand to provide insight and Instruction for the game. Supporting Jones is London Fly,
ers player Paul Gross.
hail from the U.S., but Canada is
catching up very quickly.
The Flyers and Flames draw from
London and the surrounding area
with members travelling from plac-
es such as Tilsonburg, Stratford, II-
derton and Parkhill. Several Lon-
don players have been involved
with the provincial team and some
were members of the Canadian na-
tional team which has twice cap-
tured the world championship.
"It can be very high caliber," said
Smith. "If it were baseball, our lev-
el would be comparable to about
triple 'A' ."
There is an entry level to match
every type of player, and those
wishing to work can progress virtu-
ally as far as they would like. It all
depends on the individual.
The National Wheelchair Basket-
ball Association is divided into
eight conferences over North
America, with the Ontario confer-
ence divided into two divisions.
The. Flyers play • in a pool with
Kitchener, Hamilton and Ottawa.
The sport follows the same guide-
lines as the American NCAA, with
teams advancing to regionals, sec-
tionals, the final sixteen and final
four.
Rules are also the same except
that players are allowed five sec-
onds in the key and double drib-
bling is permitted. Players can
place the ball in their lap and take
two pushes with the chair, but the
third push is a travel. The net is the
same height as stand-up ball.
Time commitment and travel are
large contributions if a player
hopes to become competitive. The
teams practice two nights a week
with games on weekends. Last
year, the members played 80
games, with every weekend booked
from October to the beginning of
March.
PlaYer Terry Davies said the
game has meant the world to him.
dtied
�ltvelled any.on page 21
Dave Shaw traded to Edmonton Oilers
EDMONTON - From the Big
Apple to a city which has produced
five Stanley Cup champions since
1983.
Exeter's Dave Shaw got the word
last Tuesday afternoon that he was
traded from the New York Rangers
to the Edmonton Oilers for de-
fenceman Jeff Beukeboom.
Shaw has been with the Rangers
since September 30, 1987 when he
was traded by the Quebec Nor-
diques along with John Ogrondnick
for Jeff Jackson and Terry Carkner.
"He's not excited abouuhislrade.
Tax goes from 33 percent to 55 per-
cent," said Shaw's father Bruce.
The 6'2" 205 pound defenceman
is currently in his eighth profess
sional season after spending three
years with the Nordiques before
joining the Rangers.
Wednesday night in his first
game as an Oiler, Dave scored a
goal and set up another in a slim 5-
4 loss at the hands of the defending
champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
Earlier this year, Oiler captain
Mark Messier was traded to the
Rangers and Dave, who was the
New York captain, gave the title up
to Messier.
"Maybe they can bring out the
best in Dave," said Bruce..
Dave entered the 1991-92 season
with 397 NHL games under his
belt, scoring 24 goals and 94 assists
while stacking up 457 minutes in
penalties. This is an option year on
his contract.
He was Quebec's fast pick in
1987, 13th overall from the Kitch-
ener Rangers where he was an
OHL first team all-star in 1984.
Bruce-saat'd1lii i will have to do
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a lot of adjusting as far as his per-
sonal life is concerned. He and his
wife Trish have two young daugh-
ters, Jamie, 2; and Daniel seven
weeks. This means selling the
house and moving to Edmonton.
"When I talked to her (Trish), she
was in shock," said Bruce.
He noted that when Dave played
in New York, there were six cities
where Dave could travel to and re-
turn home.
"Before he was home most nights
and _ now he's away most nights,"
said Bruce.
" BM Btt�, was
a true leader
n my office I have a
few mementos of
my trials and tribula-
tions over the past
18 months here at the Times -
Advocate.
All of them I have collected
myself, but one, which hangs
on a cupboard door was
amongst the files I inherited
when I arrived.
It's a mockup of a newspaper page made by former T -A edi-
tor Bill Batten. There is a team photo of the 1980 Exeter Nov-
ice Waxers and a half dozen individual photos of those Batten
deemed as individual award winners.
How's this for a lineup: Doug Clark, offensive MVP; Jeff
Chipchase, defensive MVP; Larry Lewis, Hawk award; B.J.
Batten, Honorable Mention; Allan Blommaert, Honorable
Mention; Graham Arthur, aggravation award.
For those who are wondering what the aggravation award is,
in an article written by Batten it said at the end of the season
the coach still had his manhood despite a few threats from Ar-
thur.
The 1979-80 season, as written by Batten, he thanked all of
his players for a great season and thanked the parents, espe-
cially Gaylan Josephson and Tom Dalrymple.
Friday night Batten's sons officially dropped the puck to
kick off the annual novice, atom, peewee tournament at the
South Huron Recreation Centre.
The tournament, named after Bill Batten, is just the kind of
event he loved to get involved in. Boys and hockey, that's one
thing he lived for.
Batten, a member of the Exeter Senior Mohawks in the early
1960's seemed to have quite a sense of humour in an article on
the mockup .
Written was the account of an infamous imaginable game
between his Waxers and the Montreal Canadiens.
"Bob Gainey, Montreal's world-class player was lost to the
team midway through the first when he took a shuddering
hip -check from Waxers winger Robbie McLelland and was
hit again by Tom Rolph as he came floating back to the ice,"
said the recount.
In this imaginable game, Lewis got into a scrap with Larry
Robinson and goalie Haden Tinney made a big skate save on
Guy Lafleur.
The Waxers triumphed and Batten said it was his actions
that helped win the game.
"After all, I've been blamed for all the losses, so I should
get credit for the wins. I hope this ends all the dressing room
talk about lynching the coach."
Recognition: Whether it be Zurich's Babe Siebert who
played in tete National Hockey League, Alvin Willett who de-
voted many years to Exeter and recently had the local ball
field named after him, to Batten, honouring those who have
made a major contribution will always be important.
There is one thing about sports that always remains the
same; dedication.
In any community, in any sport, there are dozens of volun-
tet enjoying what they- dei -beet; helping -kids. Exeter was
lucky to have had Bill Batten.
No more magic
From the pages of sports sections in North America to
Spain, news of Earvin Magic Johnson, made the headlines.
I remember him playing for Michigan State back in 1979
when they won the NCAA title. He was the whole show.
Magic could zig and zag and at times make you wonder if he
was even human.
But he is. Although we tend to put our sports heroes up on a
pedestal, Magic has proved he, and all others who play pro
sports, are not without flaw.
Contracting the HIV virus has shocked the world but hope-
fully it will bring greater recognition to the disease. The ques-
tion has been raised on whether he should have to wait to be
inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, I say no.
Afterall, we have to recognize our heroes when we can.
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