Assistant Commissioner, Chairman of the NWBA Class

Gary devoted over 20 years to advancing the game of wheelchair basketball, so much so that even his educational pursuits focused on basketball. As a result, he received his Masters degree in Physical Therapy based on a thesis titled, Classifying Disabled Athletes for Participation in Wheelchair Basketball. He donated many weekends to the NWBA traveling throughout the country to classify players for both national and internation competition. Gary directed the NWBA through difficult changes in classification and, in a monumental effort, organized and conducted official NWBA workshops throughout the U.S. that trained numerous therapists in classification. In accomplishing this goal, he remained a model of patience, fairness and integrity.

His diverse accomplishments were not just limited to wheelchair basketball. Beginning in 1971, he helped form, then coach and manage the Columbus (OH) Buckeye Wheelers, a team that quickly developed into a mid-west power. The Wheelers won three regional titles from 1976 through 1978.

In 1978, Gary was elected to the position of Assistant Commissioner of the Mid- America Conference and appointed Chairman of the NWBA Classification Committee, positions he held until 1991. From 1972 through 1976, he served on the coaching staff of NWAA organized U.S. teams competing at the international level, traveling to competition sites located in Canada, Mexico and Toronto, including the 1976 Paralympics. By 1978, Gary’s efforts had led to his induction into the Ohio Wheelchair Hall of Fame, a step on the way to his ultimate nomination and induction into the NWBA Hall of Fame. Gary’s induction also served as a vivid reminder of the degree to which the NWBA owes its growth to the selfless contributions of many volunteers.