In extremely exciting news for the sport, Wheelchair Basketball has become the first fully inclusive team sport to be introduced to the BUCS Sport programme, BUCS have announced today.
Joining over 50 sports, today’s announcement sees British Wheelchair Basketball continue to drive ground-breaking changes for disability sport.
Providing opportunities for participants to play with their peers regardless of their disability, ability or gender, the mixed league seeks to widen access to sport within the sector.
Building on the well-established University programme, including British Wheelchair Basketball’s annual University Championships, the sport’s introduction to the BUCS programme will now allow the number of institutions and participants to significantly increase at an extremely exciting time for the sport.
The BUCS addition helps BWB work further towards its vision, values and mission, set-out in its 2019-2024 strategy, with Universities an important element of its long-term aims, including aspirations to develop the structure to provide high level competition for both participation and pathway athletes.
The sport’s introduction follows a successful member-wide consultation and implementation process on the sport’s proposal, which has been developed to support existing wheelchair basketball programmes, whilst encouraging new university clubs and teams to access the sport.
Thrilled with the news, Jo Richards, British Wheelchair Basketball’s Participation Director, said:
“We’re so proud to be announcing our formal inclusion into the BUCS competition programme. It’s a huge step not only for wheelchair basketball, but also underpins some of the great work the sector is doing to widen access to Higher Education.
“As a truly inclusive team sport, we feel we can really bring something different to the BUCS portfolio with our ‘Reverse Inclusion’ approach, which allows all ages, genders, abilities and disabilities to compete on a level playing field.
“Our partner institutions and student athletes have worked extremely hard to raise awareness and embed wheelchair basketball into their sport programmes and it’s great to see their efforts rewarded with formal inclusion into the programme.
“It’s an exciting time for Wheelchair Basketball and we have some great opportunities on the horizon for Universities and community clubs to build their relationships and we can’t wait to see how the programme develops.”
Driven to help students have the best sport experience at university, BUCS Director of Delivery, Jenny Morris is excited by the new sports:
“At this time, it is important for us to continue to support students with staying active with a view to getting back to playing sport. These new sports are valuable in creating more opportunities for students to get involved, moving and engaged with university sport when we return to play.”
British Wheelchair Basketball would like to thank everyone who has helped and supported the sport’s proposal and introduction to the BUCS Sport programme.
Further details on team entries will be announced soon.
Visit https://www.bucs.org.uk/ for more information on BUCS.
