The NWBA was awarded a Quality of Life Program grant for 2015 to develop the NWBA Coaching Education and Training Program.

The program serves engage persons currently coaching as well as those interested in coaching wheelchair basketball in community, rehabilitation hospital, park and recreation, collegiate and veteran’s settings throughout the United States. The program addresses a multitude of needs and skill sets that are required to provide a positive and successful sport experience throughout the lifespan for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and other disabilities that are eligible for national and international competition in wheelchair basketball including:

• A foundation in general coaching principles utilized across all sports and participant populations,
• SCI and disability specific issues as they relate to motor function, strength, training, conditioning, fatigue, injury prevention, heat related illness, etc.,
• Rules and equipment modifications for various age groups and functional levels,
• Sport specific technical and tactical skills,
• Participant recruitment and retention,
• Program development,
• Sport as a catalyst for independent living.

Through the support of this grant, the NWBA developed a curriculum for NWBA Level I Coaching Certification. The program was rolled out in three locations this spring; Baltimore, MD, Chicago, IL and Arlington, TX. In each location the NWBA Coaching Education and Training Program was combined with a NWBA Youth Camp sponsored by the P&G | Team USA Youth Sports Fund. From these first three sessions 23 coaches have received NWBA Level I Certification.

The NWBA will offer up to six more regional trainings throughout the country in 2015. If you are interested in hosting a NWBA Level I Coaching Certification workshop please contact Jeff Jones, NWBA Associate Director of Sport and Military Initatives at 719-266-4082, ext 107.

From the Craig H. Neilsen Foundationwebsite http://chnfoundation.org/:

The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life for those living with spinal cord injury and to support scientific exploration for effective therapies and treatments leading to a cure.

Our mission drives our approach to grantmaking efforts. Working in collaboration with leading researchers, clinicians and community advocates, the Neilsen Foundation funds spinal cord injury research, education and quality of life programs throughout the U.S. and Canada.

With this vision for the future, the Neilsen Foundation funds projects that are expected to: