Court-ing equality for young athletes with disabilities

When the eight-year-old hoopster drives the lane, defenders stand little chance of shutting him down. He takes his game to a higher level, playing above the rim and dunking with such authority that fans, teammates and even opponents on the Rensselaer Elks Eagles watch in awe as he scores at will.

Steven is no ordinary player -- and neither are any of the players for the Challenger Division at St. Joseph/St. John's Academy in Rensselaer. The league gives children with physical or mental disabilities an opportunity to play basketball each Saturday afternoon. Steven has cerebral palsy and mental retardation, and his father Tim pushes his wheelchair so he can play.

Team effort

"It exposes Steven to other kids in a fun setting who are similar to him in ability," she said. "They're a part of the team, and it's a chance for my husband and Steven to interact together. And it's a social event for my husband and me, and networking is important when you have a child with special needs."

Begun last month by Burke Adams, a parishioner of St. Mary's Church in Clinton Heights, the basketball league includes between 20 and 30 kids with disabilities who practice dribbling and free throw shooting before playing a full-court game.

Mr. Adams' daughter Jaime, 15, plays in the league; she has Rett Syndrome, a neurological disorder occurring in girls, so her dad pushes her wheelchair with his left hand and handles the basketball with his right hand.

Gym dandy

On a recent Saturday afternoon, basketballs were bouncing all over the gym, as kids and parents practiced shooting on regulation hoops or toy hoops for younger players. After warm-ups, Mr. Adams blew a whistle and had the two teams get in line; the Bulldogs, wearing navy blue and white uniforms, were on one side of the court, while the Eagles, in maroon and gold, were on the other.

Players dribbled down the court and back, and returned to their lines. Some kids did the dribbling themselves, while others' parents or family members dribbled as the kids walked alongside or rode in their wheelchairs. No matter how the players participated, teammates and spectators enthusiastically cheered them on, and players soon picked up the pace by racing against each other as they dribbled.

Done with dribbling, the players practiced shooting free throws, and toy hoops were set up for smaller kids or those in wheelchairs who wanted to take shots themselves. Each hoopster shot until he or she made a basket, and teammates rebounded for each shooter.

On the hardwood

As her daughter Kelley played for the Eagles, Evelyn Schultz took time out from cheering to say how glad she is that there's a basketball league for children with disabilities.

"I think it's wonderful, and it gives Kelley and all of the kids an opportunity to participate in a sport that everybody else plays," said Mrs. Schultz, a parishioner of Holy Spirit Church in East Greenbush. "You can tell it means something to them."

Kelley uses a wheelchair, but she hasn't let her cerebral palsy slow her down; she's a member of the National Honor Society at Columbia High School, a lector at Holy Spirit, plays tee-ball and bowling, and wrote an article about Jaime Adams for the International Rett Syndrome Association's newsletter.

Family feeling

She appreciates the efforts of high school student volunteers who give the players a hand. "It's nice to see them come and help, and for them to see these kids do things that they do quite easily," she said.

Shelly Sheehy watched Steven and Tim contribute to the Bulldogs' scoring, and she spoke about what the basketball league has meant for her family, parishioners of St. Mary's Church in Troy.

"It teaches Steven to do better in the world," she said. "Last week, he was bothered by all of the noise, but this week he's doing better already."

The family knew some kids and parents in the basketball league from tee-ball and football, and having them in their social circle helps in dealing with Steven's disability. "The more you know about what's available, the more resources you share," Mrs. Sheehy said.

Hugs and kisses

And the kids make Mr. Adams realize how much shooting hoop means to the kids. "The best part is when they give you a hug or kiss you. You can't beat that feeling," he said.

(There are still openings for the basketball league, which continues each Saturday at noon through Feb. 26. For more information, call Burke Adams at 479-3465.)

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