Ohio University’s Department of Campus Recreation is preparing to launch its Fall II Intramural Sports Season, which, for the first time ever, will include wheelchair basketball, a program open to students of all ability levels.

Kristen Sullivan, a competitive sports graduate assistant with Campus Recreation who is studying recreation studies, is spearheading the creation of this new 4v4 wheelchair basketball Intramural Sports program. Having had experience with a similar program at her undergraduate university and seeing the potential for a successful program at the Ping Recreation Center, Sullivan is developing OHIO’s wheelchair basketball program as a capstone project for her degree requirement. Among her goals are creating a more inclusive recreation environment, providing an assessment of OHIO’s recreational facilities and fostering a sense of diversity awareness on campus.

“This program gives us the opportunity to provide people who use wheelchairs an unobstructed chance to play intramurals,” said Sullivan. “With research in mind, the focus behind this program is to examine perceptions of players before and after their participation, in hopes their participation has a positive impact on their attitudes toward people with disabilities.”

Sullivan noted that the program will be available to students of all ability levels and that sport-specific wheelchairs, loaned to the program by the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department at no cost, will be provided to students who need them to play. 

Played in teams of four players, Campus Rec’s wheelchair basketball program will include an open competitive and an open recreational league. The competitive league will include three regular season games followed by a playoff bracket and a chance to win an Intramural Sports championship T-shirt. The recreational league will offer five weeks of consistent, regular season games.  

The 4v4 wheelchair basketball season kicks off Oct. 23 and runs through Nov. 28. 

“With Kristen doing this project, it’s taking us a step forward in offering more adaptive and inclusive recreation,” said Bridget Tasker, assistant director of competitive sports and community programming for Campus Rec. 

Online registration for all Fall II Intramural Sports continues now through noon Friday, Oct. 20. In addition to wheelchair basketball, the season will include:

• 3v3 basketball
• 7v7 soccer
• Flag football
• Floor hockey
• Racquetball
• Ultimate Frisbee

For more information or to register, click here.