NEWSLETTER Oltiu 01 the C-.M!Uio • • Le.Lngton, KY ~D50' Volume XXIX November 21, 1989 Number 1
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\ \ I \ \ National Wheelchair Basketball Association NEWSLETTER Oltiu 01 the C-.m!uIo_ • • le.lngton, KY ~D50' Volume XXIX November 21, 1989 Number 1 NEW SEASON CHANGES CONFERENCE-INDEPENDENTS As the 1989-90 season gets underway. these As a result of the new legislation allowing are some of the changes to be noted : teams to register as conference-independents, 10 teams have been accorded that status: Two conferences have disbanded -the Arkansas Rollin 1 Razorbacks (Arkansas Bluegrass and Northern California. Two of Valley) the four Bluegrass teams, University of Courage Rolling Timberwolves (North Kentucky Wheel Kats and Maryville Central) Wheelbillies. remain as independents. while Dallas Mavericks (North Texas) two of the four Northern California leams also Vancouver Cablecars (Northwest) retain membership as independents - Golden Los Angeles Stars (Pacific Coast) State 76ers and Fresno Red Rollers . The San Diego City Knights (S . California) Smokey Mountain Locomotion, Nashville Rollin' Casa Colina Condors (S. California) Rebels J San Luis Obispo SLO Motion Riders. Lakeshore Pioneers (Southern) Berkeley Breakers and Santa Cruz Roller Music City Lightning (Southern) Coasters have all departed the scene. Long Beach Flying Wheels (Pacific Coast) Countering this development is the Another 5 teams have been recognized as establishment of the new, four-team Texas independents as a result of continuing status Border Conference made up of the Rio Grande or conferen ce break-ups: Valley Spinners, Wheelchair Athletic Club, Toledo Silver Streaks Lightning Spokes, and Wheelchair Warriors, Fresno Red Rollers all in the McAllen, Texas area and in Mexico. Golden State 76ers We welcome them to NWBA competition. A Maryville WheelbiUies second welcome development is the University of Kentucky Wheel Kats reorganization of the Florida Conference after a year's inactivity. The four-team group will A new team, Montana Rollin' Cats, gains have newly-cons tituted Northeast Florida independent status automatically because of River City Rollers, and Orlando Magic join its isolated location. A warm welcome to the with North Florida Renegades and Tampa Bay Cats. Suncoasters. The Indianapolis Olympians. who have chosen Elsewhere, the Lone Star Conference adds the to withdraw from the Mid-America Conference Ho uston Cavalry; the Champaign-Urbana but who have not applied for conference Black Knights return to the Midwest independent status. are in limbo at the Conference; the North Texas Conference moment. Their rights to post season expands to 8 teams with the addition of the competition will not be decided until they Waco Knights, U. of Texas- Arlington Blue, petition one way or the other. a nd Texas Heat; the Montgomery (AL) Rollers join the Southern Conference; and on the ELEVEN TEAMS DROP OUT west coast, the Orange Coast Pirates have heen added to the Southern California We regret the dI'Opping out of the following Conference. teams for 1989-90 but hope that in another year they will be back in full swing: 2 Carolinas Conference: Triad Trailblazers challenge of revitalizing the sport has been Eastern Conference: Orange County met with great vigor and the 1989- 90 season Spiders promises to be the most interesting and Glass City dynamic in the 41-year history of the Thunder Association. Kaw v.nov Chairmen Los Amigos Raiders We are confident that the decision made by Berkeley Breakers. SLO the delegates to the 1989 annual meeting in • Santa Cruz Roller Coasters Hartford was a right one. There has long Bluegrass Conference: Knoxville Smokey been a need for accommodating differing team Mountain Locomotion, Nashville Rollin' strength and commitment to the sport. The Rebels conference-independent team concept, accompanied by a restructuring of post season WOMEN'S DIVISION TEAMS AT TEN competition reflects a serious (and studied) attempt to serve the interests of all segments There will be ten women's teams contending of the NWBA membership. for the 1990 national crown. Five will playa regular season's schedule in 8 division of the It has not been easy; witness the three-year North Central Conference: Courage Rolling debate and lengthy work undertaken by two Timberwolves, Courage Rolling Gophers, RIC separate task forces focusing on the issue. Express (Chicago). Wright Stale University Disaffected teams, playing outside the official Lady Raiders. and University of Illinois realm of the NWBA, are now made to Fighting Illini . A newly organized team, the understand that there is a place for them Texas Heat, will play in the North Texas within the Association's competitive structure. Conference while the long established In time, this will lead to increased expansion Southern California Sunrise will continue to and greater opportunities for more and more playa regular schedule in the Pacific Coast disabled individuals to participate in the Conference . The Eastern Renegades sport. The decision to restructure is a wise (Boston). Sharp Renegades (San Diego). and one and will call for everyone's energetic Bay Area Meteorites (San Francisco). will support to see it carried out successfully . manage independent schedules. MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT TEAM GROWTH SEEN IN 1989-90 There has been a rash of calls to the There will be 165 teams on the membership President's office and the Office of the rolls of the NWBA for the 1989- 90 season . Commissioner over the past several months This compares very favorably with last year's complaining about unscrupulous fund raising number - 161 teams - in a season that some practices in the name of wheelchair observors thought would automatically bring basketball . They have centered mainly in a about a radical decline in membership because number of midwestern and southern cities. of the introduction of the conference The complaints have in common telephone independent system. solicitations which promote baby pageants and wheelchair basketball exhibitions that are not Writing in the November/December issue of connected with NWBA member teams . "Sports 'n Spokes", senior editor Cliff Crase has been brought to observe that, " .. in the The NWBA has not authorized any past few years not only has the sport not organization to raise money in its name via been growing, it isn't even sitting still; these practices. Anyone with information that unfortunately, the membership is on the indicates unethical and illegal fund raising decline . " We are pleased to inform Mr. Crase programs connected with the sport is asked to that, contrary to his premature observation, contact me at once . the sport is healthy and expanding. The 3 It goes without saying that we are all faced playing sites and team accommodations . with the constant problem of funding our local Minneapolis was the site of the 6th national wheelchair basketball programs . In many tournament in 1980. cases sources are not available, which may bring responsible team personnel to use RULES AND CASE BOOK MAILED questionable methods for acquiring funds for their teams. We don't wish to see the This mailing of the NWBA Newsletter to team integrity of the sport sacrificed when this representatives, conference officers, and happens . It is important for everyone's sake Assistant Commissioners, is accompanied by to maintain a healthy public image for the the 1989-90 Rules and Case Book and the sport. Do your part for maintaining the minutes of the 1989 Annual General Meeting. integrity of the sport. Those on the extended mailing list who do not receive a copy of the last two items are Marvin Lapicola, President welcome to receive them if they simply request them. Please call (606:257-1623) or write (110 LEXINGTON TO HOST MEN'S FINAL FOUR Seaton Building. University of Kentucky. Lexington, KY 40506) to receive your copies. The 42nd National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament will be held in Lexington NWBA/PVA CAMP DRAWS 105 PARTICIPANTS Kentucky, April 6 and 7, 1990. It will be a men's four-team final, only. The NWBA/PVA basketball camp held at Wright State University, August 6-13, was The decision to hold the tournament in adjudged to be a success from several points Lexington was made by the Executive of view. The 85 players and 20 coaches Committee after no bids were received from (maximum capacity) were put through a week other teams or conferences by the September of rigorous instruction by 14 of the NWBA's 1 deadline established . Lexington was the finest coaches. Asked in the evaluation at site of the 37th NWBT played in 1985 . the end of the camp, every participant said he or she would recommend it to his or her The tournament will be played in the teammates. The camp staff director was Lew University of Kentucky's Memorial Coliseum, Shaver (Southwest State V . ); head coach just a few minutes ride from the Radisson instructors were: Brad Hedrick (U. of Plaza Hotel, which has been selected to house Illinois), Dan Byrnes (Wright State U.), the contending teams, Executive Committee, Frank Burns (Lakeshore Pioneers), Bob Assistant Commissioners and delegates to the SZym8n (Courage Rolling Timberwolves), Ron annual meeting of the NWBA. Detailed Lykins (V of Wisconsin-Whitewater), Frank information will be forthcoming in January. Brasile (Central Intercollegiate Conference), and Harry Vines (Arkansas Rollin' REGIONAL AND SECTIONAL DATES SET Razorbacks). Assistant coach instructors were: Toby Broadrick (Courage Rolling The dates for the 1990 post season regional Timberwolves), Mike Woodard (V . of and sectional tournaments are: Kentucky), and Randy Snow (Lakeshore Chariots) . Veteran NWBA official, Paul Regionals: March 9-11 Camitsch of st. Paul, MN, presented Sectionals : March 23-25 officiating points of view and interpretations while two headliners who participated in MINNEAPOLIS TO HOST WOMEN'S NWWBT scrimmages with the campers were Dave Kiley and Curtis Bell of the Casa Colina Conrlors. The 16th National Women's Wheelchair Basketball Tournament will be played March 27 Thanks go to PVA Sports Director Andy through 31 in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.