Newfoundland Labrador Basketball Association: Programs

Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced, hard-hitting competitive sport that has seen continued growth in popularity amongst the adapted sporting community across Canada and around the world. As one of the few truly "inclusive" sports available, wheelchair basketball is played by athletes of all abilities. Although originally developed following the Second World War for athletes with disabilities, the sport has seen a surge in popularity in the able-bodied community across Canada as well in recent years. In fact, able-bodied players can play wheelchair basketball competitively in Canada all the way up to Canada Games and National Championships levels.

We welcome all athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials and sponsors to get involved and help us grow the sport of wheelchair basketball across the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. As one of the only fully inclusive sports available, wheelchair basketball provides an excellent opportunity to develop and fine-tune your basketball skills, while also getting an opportunity to play a competitive sport with people of all skills and abilities. Wheelchair Sports Association of NL and the NLBA are firmly committed to promoting and growing the sport of wheelchair basketball across all regions of the Province. In order to do that, we need the support of the basketball community - whether you're an athlete, coach or someone looking to volunteer or sponsor a program in your area, we would love to hear from you! Contact :  wcsportsnl@gmail.com 

Wheelchair basketball follows the same basic rules of stand-up basketball. For instance, the game is played on the standard size court, on 10-foot rims with all the same markings for foul lines and 3-point lines. The only major differences between wheelchair basketball and stand-up basketball is the special rules for double-dribble, travelling and personal fouls. In Canada, wheelchair basketball is played according to the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) rules, which are an extension of standard FIBA basketball rules. More information on the rules of wheelchair basketball can be found on the Wheelchair Basketball Canada web site at: http://www.wheelchairbasketball.ca/the-sport/about-the-sport/.

As mentioned previously, wheelchair basketball is open to players with physical limitations as well as able-bodied players. The "Classification System" is a system that allows athletes of a wide range of abilities to compete fairly against each other. Every player is assigned a point value (ranging from 1.0 to 4.5) based on their functional ability to perform sport-specific movements. The classification system for wheelchair basketball in Canada aligns with the International Classification System, as follows:

Each player is assigned a "Classification" number from 1.0 to 4.5 based on the athlete's level of function.

Athletes are assessed by a "classifier" according to IWBF classification rules in a number of aspects of the game (dribbling, passing, shooting, rebounding, taking contact, etc).

Based on level of function in key aspects of the game, the player is assigned a classification number from 1.0-4.5.

Able-bodied players are assigned a 4.5 classification automatically, while those players with physical limitations are assigned a classification (from 4.5 to 1.0) which is measured based on the athlete's ability to perform the standard sport-specific functions. The classification number usually remains constant over a player's career, although classification may be re-assessed based on increasing or decreasing levels of function.

During a competition, the "total classification points" on the floor for a team at one time cannot exceed 14 points; this helps level the playing field of abilities of both teams on the court.

More information on the classification system in Canada can be found at: http://www.wheelchairbasketball.ca/the-sport/classification/.