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Stoke Spitfires Wheelchair Basketball team鈥檚 very important member loves to take time out from his busy schedule to return to his first love.

It鈥檚 not often you go down to a leisure centre in Hanley and find a knight of the realm competing in his favourite sport.
Sir Philip Craven, now President of the International Paralympic Committee had a major accident when he was just 16, and from the first days of him being in hospital, he discovered a sport which would change his life forever.

His MBE, which gave him his knighthood for his services to Paralympic sport and his numerous Paralympic medals don鈥檛 take away the fact that he鈥檚 still a ordinary, down to earth guy who loves sport.
I talked to Sir Philip and heard about the hopes and dreams of a man who has dedicated his life to sport.听 Hear the full interview by clicking on the link below.

Wheelchair Basketball was developed as a way of rehabilitation for injured war veterans and the sport became a Paralympic sport in 1960.听 It will be included in the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing, and the 2012 London Paralympics.

A great thing about the sport, is that YOU can play!

Whether you use a wheelchair in everyday life or not.听 I was even roped into having a go, but it took me at least 20 attempts to get just one in the net!

Each team has a maximum of 14 points to divide between their players.听 Depending on the depth of their disability, players each 鈥渃arry鈥� between 1-4.5 points. Able-bodied players carry 5 points.听

Spitfires

Stoke Spitfires, who practice at the Dimensions leisure centre in Stoke, compete in the Great Britain wheelchair basketball Second Division North, after their promotion last season.听
The team is on a high, but even so, they are still looking for members鈥� Whether man or woman (the Spitfires are a mixed sex team), you鈥檇 be welcomed with open arms.

There are three mixed sex National Leagues (spilt into North and South), one Super League and a Women鈥檚 and a Juniors鈥� League in the country.

Down the M6 in Birmingham, they won the right to host the World Wheelchair Basketball Championships.听 They will be taking place at the National Indoor Arena from the 13-25th June 2010.
The tournament will see 12 men鈥檚 and 10 women鈥檚 teams compete in what is promising to be an exciting time for Wheelchair Basketball throughout the United Kingdom.

Great Britain has had great success internationally, including a silver medal at the under 22鈥檚 European Championships in 2006.听 Both the Beijing Paralympics this summer and the 2010 World Championships provide a great platform for making the sport more accessible.听

Sir Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee told me, in a fascinating interview, about how a local lad like him became such a major figure in the sport and why grass roots Paralympic sports, in particular Wheelchair basketball, are so important to Paralympic athletes.