Randy Snow, a Class-2 wheelchair basketball player, may be known for his track and tennis accomplishments, but his first love was basketball. As a youth in Texas, he would spend his Saturdays shooting hoops at a makeshift basket over his grandparents garage. At the age of 16, a farm accident would lead to paraplegia and to stardom as a wheelchair basketball player.

Randy Snow began his wheelchair basketball career in 1979. After seeing a picture of wheelchair basketball on the cover of Sports N’ Spokes, he and other local athletes formed a team in Austin, Texas. Later, playing for this University of Texas High Rollers, he found himself competing against the lightning-quick Ron Labar and the University of Texas/Arlington. His team lost the game but Randy scored 26 big points prompting Ron Labar to tell Randy he was the first player he ever saw who could shoot the ball while his chair was moving so fast. Speed and shooting on the move would become Randy’ s trademark contribution to the game of wheelchair basketball. He also became a master of the bank shot and a very creative passer.

Randy was selected to no less than six US teams and undoubtedly would have been selected to more US team had it not been for his mutual interest in tennis. In basketball, he won gold in 1982 at the Pan American Games, in the World Championships in 1983, and a bronze medal at the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta.

In the NWBA, Randy played an instrumental on eight elite teams from the Dallas Mavericks to the Fresno Red Rollers. As a player, his big year came in 1995 at the NWBT in Philadelphia. Playing for the Fresno Red Rollers, Randy become only the second player in NWBA history to win the BIG FOUR:

1. A National Championship
2. The NWBT MVP award
3. The NWBT Captain Ure Sportsmanship Award 4. Selected to the NWBT 1st Team All-Tournament

Randy’s awards in basketball were numerous:

•   2nd Team All Tourney 1989 NWBT (Birmingham), D-II (Austin Wreckers)

•   2nd Team All-Tourney 1990 NWBT (Chicago), D-II (Austin Wreckers)

•   MVP, Captain Ure Sportsmanship Award, 1995 NWBT (Philadelphia)

•   MVP, 1996 NWBT (Portland), Fresno Red Rollers

•   In 2004 in Chicago, Randy became the first Paralympian inducted into the US Olympic Hall of Fame. The induction video included Randy’s performance in the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic wheelchair basketball game against Australia. In that game Randy shot 70% from the field, a 7 for 10 shooting performance. Randy led the US Team in scoring with 14 points as the Aussies upset the US team and ultimately won the gold medal.

  Randy’ contributions to the development of wheelchair basketball were also Hall of Fame material. We cite just a few:

•   1986 Featured player in NWBA’s first instruction basketball video

•   Staff member PVA/NWBA Wheelchair Basketball Camps (1989-2004)

•   As a member of Team Quickie, he made countless wheelchair sports presentations that included the sport of wheelchair basketball.

•   During his 3-year tenure at the Lakeshore Foundation, Randy allowed his athletic accomplishments in basketball and tennis to be promoted; that led to the of the development of the $25 million Paralympic Training Center in Birmingham, the worlds largest training center for athletes with disabilities.