By Tom Scott and Bill Hannigan
United Spinal Giants Kick Off Second Season with New Website
On November 16, 2006, the United Spinal Giants made history when they played on the first hard-top football field in New York State, perfect for wheelchair users. Now in its second year, the United Spinal Giants are expanding their reach through a new interactive Web site for wheelchair football players and fans.
The new Web site, www.unitedspinal.org/giants, features video footage on its homepage of the wheelchair football field dedication and opening game at Victory Field in Forest Park, Queens. It also provides information on how to join, watch, and support the United Spinal Giants.
“My hope for the program is that it grows to where we will have wheelchair football fields all over the state of New York and country,” said John Hamre, coach of the United Spinal Giants. “And that New York City will serve as a model so that other professional football franchises can have their own wheelchair football teams.”
Wheelchair football was invented in the early 1970s. Its rules are adapted from the rules of 6-on-6 flag football, and it is played on asphalt, which is easier to maneuver in a wheelchair. Sponsored by the New York Giants and the United Spinal Association, United Spinal Giants practice and play scrimmages every week at Victory Field and are working on creating a full-fledged league.
To find out more about the United Spinal Giants, please visit www.unitedspinal.org/giants or call Bill Hannigan at 718-803-3782 x268.
Wheelchair Softball Comes to Disney’s Wide World of Sports®
Contributed by Doyle Mann and Rick Hart
With Major League Baseball’s Spring Training over and the teams having moved north, it was time for the National Wheelchair Softball Association to kick off its season with their own Spring Training. The Rays Wheelchair Softball Team from Tampa Bay hosted their 3rd annual “Spring Training in Florida” Tournament with some magic this year. There is no better way to add magic than having the tournament at Disney’s Wide World of Sports® complex at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. This was the first wheelchair softball tournament ever held at a Disney park!
The Rays invited five teams to travel south to thaw out from a long cold winter and were treated to nearly perfect weather and excellent playing conditions. Stacy Martin and Preston Courtney led their Disney crews to magically transform a Bus/RV parking lot into two wheelchair softball fields. The tournament teams included: the Nebraska Barons, United Spinal Yankees from New York, RIC Cubs and Midwest Flyers from Chicago, Confluence Center Coast from St. Louis and the host Tampa Bay Rays.
Nebraska finished the weekend as the lone undefeated team with a record of 6-0 while the RIC Cubs finished second with a 5-1 record. Although these teams sported stellar records, many of the games among all teams were very competitive to the last out. There were a couple of games that exemplified the competitiveness of the tournament. One was a very close defensive struggle between the Confluence Center Coast and the United Spinal Yankees which finished with a 1-0 score. In sharp contrast, Confluence fell to Nebraska in a slugfest that ended with an 18-13 final.
The tournament was a unique combination of competition and fun. Tournament play was scheduled in order to allow players and their families to enjoy the Disney parks each afternoon following the games. Many players elected to extend their stay in order to enjoy all that Disney has to offer. “I know that every member of our team (and their family members) truly enjoyed the tournament and the experience,” Nebraska’s manager/catcher Bruce Froendt commented.
Tom Scott is staff editor. Bill Hannigan is director of Sports and Recreation.
