Updates 10.30

Hello SPC Member!

Here are a few updates on our coalition:

• We have privatized the SPC website. The password is spcmember

  • Continue to access our homepage for periodic updates on our progress towards creating a collegiate wheelchair basketball program at the University of Washington.

• We are creating a smaller task force to establish a wheelchair basketball club at the University of Washington. This group will identify and address barriers to our goals.

• Monthly coalition meetings will be terminated for the time being. We will ask for assistance from our members in the coming months.

Thank you for following and supporting our campaign.

Best,

-Nick Weiss

Update Letter from Coach Nick

Hello!

My name is Nick Weiss, and I’m a cofounder of the Seattle Parasport Coalition. I was born with cerebral palsy from two University of Washington graduates, grew up in Wallingford, and played youth wheelchair basketball at Meany Middle School in Capitol Hill. Similar to most of us, I love my community.

I’m writing to you because we see an opportunity to support our city in a unique and meaningful way. By launching a coed wheelchair basketball team at UW, we will bring a new level of competition to our region, build a pathway to higher education, and keep talented folks in our area.

Why now, and how?

As alumni of the University of Illinois Fighting Illini Wheelchair Basketball team, we have acquired the foundational knowledge to recruit, train, and empower this new program. Our experience has taught us that collegiate wheelchair basketball is one of the most transformative opportunities for people with disabilities because it builds academic excellence, independence, and essential life skills. Together, we can make this a reality.

Seattle provides a lucrative environment for parasport athletes, which gives us hope to begin competition in the Fall of 2027. Currently, we are building a 3-year proposal and budget to build this program from within the Department of Rehabilitation. In this format, athletes, rehab students, and community members will benefit from the in-person learning opportunities surrounding adaptive sports.

Upcoming, we will start to host monthly coalition meetings on the first Tuesday of the month at 7pm PST, which will be open to the entire coalition. A link will be released to members. Please consider joining us for more information, or reach out at seattleparasport@gmail.com for any follow-up.

Best,

-Nick

Launching the Seattle Parasport Coalition

Hello Community Members,

This is a short blog post to say a really big announcement!

We are launching a new coalition to establish the first D1 wheelchair basketball program on the West Coast at the University of Washington. This will be a program that improves the lives of disabled people in our region by providing a meaningful pathway towards higher education.

A competitive team at UW would establish Seattle as a regional hub for parasport athletes. This has the potential to increase opportunities for the local community and bring in a wave of new leaders to our region.
Add your name to our list of supporters on our home page.

More details will be released soon through our blog and social media channels.
Follow our movement on Instagram at @seattleparasport, or email us at seattleparasport@gmail.com.