Wheelchair Basketball Team Prepares for the Warrior Games

Tim Lang lines up a shot during wheelchair basketball practice at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, April 13, 2010. He and the U.S. Marine Corps wheelchair basketball team will be competing in May the 2010 Warrior Games. DoD photo by U.S. Navy MC2 William Selby

Tim Lang lines up a shot during wheelchair basketball practice at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, April 13, 2010. DoD photo by U.S. Navy MC2 William Selby

By Christen McCluney

Several Marines from Marine Corps Base Quantico met at Walter Reed Army Medical Center this week for an inter-squad basketball practice in preparation for the inaugural Warrior Games.

The Warrior Games, which are being held May 10-14, 2010, at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, are a sports competition for wounded, ill and injured servicemembers and is a joint effort by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the U.S. Department of Defense.

The Marine Corps will send a team of 50 athletes and 10 alternates that will compete in events including archery, cycling, sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball.

Maj. Susan Stark, head coach for the Marine team said that these athletes are really inspiring because when most people are injured they don’t get in to athletics.

“The Marines are going to do great,” Stark said. “We make sure it’s fun, rewarding and they represent the Marine Corps, they do all three. The bonus is they get to compete.”

(more…)

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