The first Saturday of May began with the sounds of sneakers squeaking on a court. Loud shouting, basketball balls hitting the floor in a smooth rhythm, and scoreboards buzzing were all noises that could be heard in the Legacy Gym. Shouts of joy and pride and children laughing resounded throughout the space. Coach Michael Junsch and Jen Santo, a class of ’88 Poly alumni, led a program called Big Shot Bootcamp in the Legacy Gym. Here, Poly provided a space for disabled children, aged five through eighteen, who use wheelchairs to play basketball. 

This event was organized by the Christa and Saul Welger Foundation, which was founded by the Welger family, whose mission is to “provide support and opportunities to physically impaired youth to encourage participation in, increase awareness of, and reduce barriers to competing in team sports.” Santo has been involved with this organization since this camp began, and when they couldn’t find a gym, she reached out to Poly, who was happy to provide a space for these young athletes to practice this year. 

Several Paralympians, one from Canada and two from the U.S., helped supervise this event to inspire children to follow their dreams of being athletes and to run drills, according to the Welger Foundation. These children are often discouraged from participating in sports due to their disabilities, so having Olympians, who have the same or similar disabilities as these children, come to teach is very inspiring. Twenty-five athletes participated in this event, each leaving with new hope and added perseverance. 

This is the second year this clinic has been held, the first at the University of Mount Saint Vincent, according to the Welger Foundation. This event is hoped to grow over the years and encourage disabled athletes to believe they can accomplish anything. It was not just inspiring for these children, but it also uplifted the adults surrounding them. “It was incredible to watch these young people who’ve suffered and what they’ve come to achieve and see the tenacity of their personalities,” said Santo. “For me, as a professional coach, it puts life into perspective,” Junsch reflected.

Junsch continued sharing that “It’s a good experience for everyone.” It teaches children to believe that they can be unstoppable. It “[gives] these kids an opportunity to play something that they love to do, to excel at it, and be trained by Olympians. I don’t think that they get that all the time. I think they play within their groups, but I think it’s just a special event for them to come and meet their idols,” explained Santo Xavier, a child who participated, who calls Steve Serio, one of the paralympians, “an inspirational role model.” 

Running this program for the first time also allowed Junsch to expand the breadth of his coaching skills. He once believed that his coaching abilities were only suitable for able-bodied individuals, but after seeing how children in wheelchairs played, he was proved wrong. “They would do drills like line sprints and stopping and turning and defending…all day,” he added.

All the children left with a newfound sense of joy and pride. A parent, Erin Glaser, shared that she and her daughter, Ivy, “both agreed that this was a fun event and we hope that it continues next year. Ivy left feeling like a million bucks and is excited to continue her wheelchair basketball journey.” 

“Winning basketball games isn’t the most important thing,” said Junsch. “You see the athletes smiling and participating with others. It really made me very happy as well. It was definitely a tremendous success.”