TALLMADGE--For veteran coach, radio and TV personality Thomas Linder, coaching is second nature.
Linder has worked with special needs kids at Tallmadge High School for the last five years.
Prior to that, he coached high school wrestling, football and even spent time as head wrestling coach at Ashland University.
So when head coach Lauren Stone decided not to return for her second season with the Adaptive Sports Program of Ohio's Wheelchair basketball team, Linder was the obvious choice.
“The mesh is awesome and these kids, they just want to be regular athletes, they just want to compete. They want to represent their school with a jersey that says Tallmadge on it. They want the opportunity to perhaps compete and win a letter and then get a varsity jacket like all their other peers in the school. And they take it pretty serious,” says Linder.
- The Adaptive Sports Program of Ohio has given the unique opportunity for those with physical disabilities to play basketball.
- The wheelchair basketball league has been around for two years, has five teams, and is looking to expand.
The Adaptive Sports Program of Ohio features five wheelchair basketball teams from Tallmadge, Plain Local, Massillon, Austintown and Wooster.
Tallmadge's team includes five handicapped athletes and seven able-bodied players from first thru 12thgrade.
“It's just taught me to be really kind to other people, you never know what they're going through and what their daily obstacles are. It's been really awesome to see my teammates grow, especially the younger ones who don't always have an opportunity like this. And the littlest things are really the most exciting for them,” says Tallmadge High School student and team member Rory Murphy.
And those little things include anything from grabbing a rebound to scoring a first basket.
“So I basically backed up and put my arms out and I said I can die happily now because that was one thing i've always wanted to do, make a basket,” says 8th grader and team member Courtney Kirsch.
“Because of the fact they're in a wheelchair, they're going to face more obstacles then the normal athlete—and they overcome them. They find a way to get it done. And if they can do that here and take that lesson and apply it to their lives everyday, they're going to be better off for it,” says Linder.
Tallmadge carries a 9 and 3 record into the state tournament this Saturday.
Their fan support continues to grow and players are already looking forward to the future.
“It's obviously the state tournament, and this year its going to be at Massillon Washington High School. Next year its actually going to be here. That's my number one goal, get some more rebounds this year and maybe be scoring baskets by next year,” says Tallmadge High School student and team member Cory Michalec.
And the Adaptive Sports Program of Ohio is already looking to expand its reach for wheelchair basketball teams next season.
“So I'm really hoping that happens so we can get more competitiveness and more teams out there and just get more people in our our kind of situation and be able to play a sport and be happy,” says Tallmadge High School student and team member Isiah Johnson.
For Linder, championship or not, he says this experience holds a special place in his heart.
“You can take all the different championships and individual awards and honors and those kinds of things that i've seen throughout the years, working with these kids is more or just as special as that,” says Linder.
For more information follow this link.