The United Spinal Liberty women’s wheelchair basketball team participated in United Spinal Association night at Madison Square Garden (MSG) on Friday, June 30. The team, which consists of women of all ages with physical disabilities, is co-sponsored by the New York Liberty of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and United Spinal Association. The United Spinal Liberty played an on-court demonstration game and was available throughout the New York Liberty vs. San Antonio Silver Stars game, raffling autographed merchandise and various other items from the New York Liberty.

“We want to make adaptive sports more available to people with disabilities––particularly women––because it is beneficial on so many levels,” said Victor Calise, United Spinal’s director of sports marketing. “Competing is a great way to building confidence, self-esteem, and independence. We are happy to see more women getting involved in wheelchair sports and seeing more sports franchises supporting women’s causes.”

In March, the Liberty placed in the top 10 at the 32nd Annual National Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Birmingham, Alabama. The New York Liberty is the first professional WNBA team to sponsor a wheelchair basketball team.

Under similar, innovative affiliations with other professional franchises throughout the New York metropolitan area, United Spinal Association sponsors swimming, softball, track and field, and handcycling, and hosts numerous adaptive sports clinics for children and adults with disabilities throughout the country.

About Wheelchair Basketball
Wheelchair basketball follows the same rules as NCAA basketball with several exceptions. There is a four-second lane violation rule for the offense, as opposed to the standard three seconds, and players are classified according to the severity of their disability. Players with the most mobility are assigned “Class III,” while players with the least mobility are graded “Class I.” Teams are not allowed to have more than 12 classification points on the court at any one time. Anyone with a disability that prevents him or her from playing traditional basketball is eligible to play wheelchair basketball. Common disabilities include spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, and amputations.