Georgia’s first women’s wheelchair basketball team prepares for tournament

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·2 min read

Maggie Frederick says she usually gets quite a reaction. “I think it’s a bit of a surprise, especially if they don’t know that wheelchair basketball exists,” Maggie said.

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Maggie is now a member of the very first all-women’s wheelchair basketball team in Georgia. “Very few times in your life or career can you help be part of something launching,” Dawn Churi said. Churi is the executive director of BlazeSports, the nonprofit that set it all in motion. The team is called the Lady Ballers, with much of the funding powered by the Atlanta Hawks. “They need to be resourced. It’s tough on the parents. There are commutes. Tough to find practice space. Tough to find coaches. How can we be part of the solution?” Hawks VP Jon Babul said.

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The roster is already 14 members deep, and they’re going to compete all over the country. Maggie Frederick has been playing for 15 years, so she’s one of the veterans. But it makes her feel like a kid again. She hopes this will help raise awareness and maybe get some games televised. “Even as an adult, it’s so cool to see someone who has a disability on television, whether it’s in a commercial or on a show. I think it’s about getting the message out there and (having) people come and see that we can play sports. It might look different, but it’s also the same,” Maggie said.

The team’s first tournament is next month in Birmingham. Jon Babul hopes the Lady Ballers can appear at halftime at some Hawks home games next year.

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