Georgia schools got $30,000 for wheelchair sports. One local team saw immediate success

Caption

Peach County Rolling Trojans players move down the court during a game earlier this season.

Credit: Courtesy of Peach County School District

A portion of a $30,000 grant helped Peach County Schools put a wheelchair basketball team on the court last season, and they experienced immediate success.

The grant was awarded by the American Association of Adapted Sports, which gave out two $30,000 equipment grants to help area schools form an adapted sports program. Peach County applied for and received the grant in 2022. The team competed for the first time this season and competed in the state championship game on March 2.

“They have performed extremely well this year; reaching the championship game in the first year of competition,” said Michelle Masters, Peach County Schools athletic director.

The Peach County Rolling Trojans fell 24-18 to the Houston County JV Sharks in the championship game.

Masters said one of the team’s coaches, Walter Johnson, played adaptive sports in high school and in college.

“I believe this has contributed to Peach County’s success,” Masters said. “He understands the game and the intricacies of participating in a wheelchair and is able to effectively communicate with the athletes.”

The grant wasn’t just for wheelchair basketball — it allowed the school district to get a set of home and away Adidas jerseys, basketballs, handball goals, footballs, eight Eagle Sports wheelchairs, and volleyballs, according to Christy Jones, the part-time adapted education teacher for Peach County elementary and middle schools.

Peach County is one of three new school-based teams in Georgia for wheelchair student athletes. The others are Henry County and Clarke County and Peach County. The students can now participate in adaptive sports through AdaptED Sports thanks to funding from the Georgia Department of Education and interest from the communities.

The Peach County Rolling Trojans currently has six players ranging from elementary school to high school.

Masters said her own son played wheelchair basketball while he was in school in Houston County, making a huge impact on his life on and off the court.

“My son, Ben, has muscular dystrophy and we realized during t-ball that organized, able-bodied athletics would be extremely difficult for him,” she said. “We were introduced to adaptive sports when he was in the fifth grade and drove to Warm Springs for him to participate with the West Georgia Wolverines - almost immediately he was sold on the sport.

“Fortunately, the next year Houston County started the Sharks and he was a founding member, participating until he graduated in 2013. The sport increased his confidence which contributed to him advocating for himself. It also increased his confidence in the classroom, laying the foundation for him to recently graduate with a masters degree from Middle Georgia State University.”

Caption

Peach County was recently awarded a $30,000 grant to form an adaptive sports program. The grant provided a set of home and away Adidas jerseys, basketballs, handball goals, footballs, eight Eagle Sports wheelchairs, and volleyballs.

Credit: Courtesy of Peach County School District

Jones said the program provides positive mental and physical benefits for students.

“The adapted sports program opens doors for students; we have had students in other counties continue their playing career in college,” she said. “Being a part of a team can provide a support system that they never had access to before.”

Jones also said the teams allow for students to build lifelong friendships and learn leadership skills.

“It can also provide the parents an opportunity to look at their young athlete in a new way; they can see them being active and independent,” Jones said.

Jones said because the adapted sports program is an interscholastic program, it also ties into academic success. The adapted sports athletes have to maintain their grades, attendance and behavior in school to participate in the programs.

Masters said feedback from both parents and students has been extremely positive.

“The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The students are very grateful for an opportunity to compete on a level playing field,” she said. “It truly gives them a competitive outlet and parents are very supportive and grateful their child has the chance to play sports.”

“I am thrilled to have this team in Peach County,” Masters said. “Any opportunity to help our students succeed is time and money well spent.”

The Peach County Rolling Trojans roster includes Azarion Burns and Jace Harter of Byron Middle School; Cole Maples, Jace Tolliver and Caleb Watters of Byron Elementary School; and Sannitra Colbert of Peach County High School.

The Houston County Sharks formed their program in 2007 with six players. Since then, the Houston County Adapted Sports Program has grown to two teams with up to 30 players at any given time.

Jones said AAASP is currently working with school districts around the state to help grow the adapted sports program.

This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with The Telegraph.