By Disability Sports Australia Media Team
A new national learning resource is helping Australians discover and experience the power of wheelchair sport — both on and off the court.
Developed by Active Education Australia, in collaboration with Paralympics Australia, the Australian Sports Commission, and Disability Sports Australia, the Wheelchair Sport Skills resource provides teachers, coaches, and community leaders with the tools to deliver inclusive sport experiences for everyone.
This resource was also supported by key stakeholders including Basketball NSW and other state and national partners, the initiative represents a united commitment to inclusion, accessibility, and lifelong participation in sport.
Breaking Down Barriers to Inclusive Sport
Wheelchair Sport Skills is an engaging and practical resource built to increase understanding and participation in wheelchair sport across Australia.
The resource includes a series of videos that explore:
• What is Wheelchair Sport
• Who Can Play
• What Can You Play
• Where and How to Play, and the Benefits
• Types of Wheelchairs and Equipment Familiarisation
• How to Get In and Out of the Chair
• How to Move – Core Skills and Techniques (Five grouped skill videos)
• Safety and Best Practice
Alongside the video content, coaches, educators and participants can access fact sheets and a poster campaign designed as visual calls-to-action for display in schools, gyms, stadiums, and community venues across the country.
The message is simple: Everyone can learn, play, and enjoy wheelchair sport.
Greg Schneiders, General Manager- Consulting, Active Education Australia said:
““This project demonstrates what’s possible when education and sport sectors work together, “By combining expertise from Paralympics Australia, the ASC, and DSA, we’ve created something that’s not only practical for teachers and coaches but genuinely inspiring and useful for students and communities”
Campbell Message, National Pathways Specialist, Paralympics Australia said:
“Wheelchair sport offers life-changing opportunties for people of all abillities. This resource makes it easy for schools and clubs to introduce those experiences in an inclusive and authentic way“
Message praised the initiative as an important step in increasing awareness and participation:
Ayden Shaw Chief Executive Officer of Disability Sports Australia said
“We are proud of our history as the birthplace of wheelchair sport in Australia, alongside our members who were part of that journey. Whilst today our focus is on building the capability of sport to enable meaningful participation for people with disability, this initiaitive is a great example of collaboration in action“
Driving Change Through Education
By simplifying the introduction of wheelchair sport in schools and community settings, Wheelchair Sport Skills helps remove uncertainty and empower educators and coaches to deliver inclusive, engaging programs.
The resource also supports Australia’s broader Sport Participation and Inclusion Framework, encouraging every school and community to see wheelchair sport as part of everyday participation – not a specialist or separate activity.
Call to Action
Wheelchair Sport Skills is available now https://www.ausport.gov.au/coaching/community/wheelchair-sport-skills.
Educators, coaches, and community leaders are encouraged to access the videos, fact sheets, and posters to bring inclusive sport to life in their own environments.
ENDS
Media contact:
Ayden Shaw
CEO
M: 0411 788 315
About Disability Sports Australia:
Disability Sports Australia (DSA) is a national non-profit, registered charity, and National Sporting Organisation for people with disability, dedicated to increasing participation in grassroots sport.
For over 60 years, DSA has been at the forefront of disability sport in Australia, starting with wheelchair sports and seeking to expand opportunities for people with disability across the country. Today, DSA is disability-agnostic, focusing on building the capability of sports organisations to ensure inclusive and accessible opportunities for people with disability.
Its goal is to raise awareness of the positive impact sport can have, remove barriers to participation, and build a future where sport is inclusive for all Australians.
