1. Academics, Athletics, and the
Diverse Community
Bryon Martin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Recreation
Chicago State University

2. HISTORY
• “Insufficient documentation exists of the 60-plus years in
the history of wheelchair basketball,” (Labanowich and
Thiboutot)
• Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and National
Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA)
• 1940’s California, Massachusettes, England, (Guttmann
netball)
• Lower the Goals? Women?
• Athletes vs. Patients
• Research has been devoted to wheelchair basketball
participants and coaches
• There is a dearth focused on the wheelchair basketball
referee

3. Program Social Change Components
• Combat Inner City Gang Violence
• Develop Interpersonal Skills
• Experiential Learning
• Model for Best Practice Strategy for Servant
Leadership (Greenleaf)
• Community Entity Synergy Strategy teamed
with Chicago Park District, Special Recreation
Districts and the NWBA

4. Program Avenues
• Examples of current programs offering
officiating training in Higher Education setting:
• Sport Coaching and Officiating Minor, (Middle
Tennessee State University
• Community Education Training/Certification,
(University of Southern Indiana)

5. PARTICIPANTS
3 Male Students
Students played University-level or High
School basketball
Currently enrolled in the Recreation or
Physical Education Program at Chicago State
Institutional Review Board Approval
Participant Permission

6. Training
• Mechanics and Rules Training, (NWBA, NCAA)
• Web-based Rules Exam Moodle
• Live-Game Shadowing
• Half-time Group Discussions and Reflection
• Live-Game with worked with Experienced
Partner
• Utilized NCAA basketball evaluation form
• One video observation session

7. FINDINGS
• Themes were extracted from participant “crew interviews.”
Examples include:
• “You have to keep your sympathy card in your wallet.”
• “It’s not about the money.”
• “I like being involved with my community.”
• “I do it for the camaraderie.”
• “Officiating keeps me fit.”
• “I blew my whistle and called time when a wheelchair and
player toppled over as a fast-break continued for the other
team. When I stopped play, the offensive team was upset,
everyone knew the toppled player was not hurt…no need
to stop play.”

8. SUCCESS STORIES
• One Student secured a physical education
teaching position with the Chicago Public
Schools.
• One student is currently working with an
after-school program and has completed an
interview as an Inclusion Aid with the Chicago
Park District.
• One student has chosen to be a leader-siblings
chose the gang lifestyle.

9. IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
• Partner with the NWBA to update referee
data, evaluation criteria, training and
recruitment components, advocacy
• Inclusion of Timers and Scorekeepers in
Program
• Women and Officials with disabilities
participation
• Sources of stress and coping strategies

10. • “Through the smoke and glare of Madison
Square garden, the basketball court…Ten
husky men in slender metal wheelchairs were
lined up for the referee’s whistle…The
audience of 15,567 roared.” Labanowich &
Thiboutot, 2011