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February 2004 Newsletter

AAWD Board Member Profile Cornelis Van Eldik

AAWD Board Member Cornelis Van Eldik was born in the Netherlands and prior to retiring from full time work worked for the Queensland Education Department as a Senior Maths Teacher teaching Advanced Maths and Science, in Cairns, Thursday Island and Brisbane.

Corny was first introduced to sport and recreation for people with a disability in 1976 when his wife Kay and he were looking for an activity for one of their sons who had Cerebral Palsy. They saw an article in the paper for swimming on Saturday morning and it went from there.

Corny worked on a committee to set up Cerebral Palsy - Australian Sport and Recreation Federation (CPASRF) which came into being in 1989 and was on the first Management Board. In 1991 Corny was elected President of the Board and in 1993 stepped down from the Presidency and took on an administration role for CPASRF, which he did until 2002. In 1993 Corny was elected to the Board of Cerebral Palsy - International Sport and Recreation Association (CPISRA) and has been elected several times to the Executive Committee of CPISRA, serving one term as it Financial Director.

More recently Corny was involved in the working party to set up Australian Athletes with a Disability Ltd and then became CPASRF's representative on that Board.

Corny has been the Team Manager for Australian teams going to the CP World Games in 1991, 1993,1997 and 2001 and says it "has been a pleasure to take elite athletes and developing athletes to a world competition and see the progress that they make." Corny has also been fortunate enough to be Section Manager for the Australian team at World Games, FESPIC Games and Paralympic Games.

Cerebral Palsy Australia Sport and Recreation Federation

The 2005 CPISRA World Championships will be held 2-10 July 2005 in Connecticut, USA. CPASRF intends on sending a team. Stay tuned for further details!

Wheelchair Sports Australia

The Wheelchair Sports Australia 2003-2004 Annual General Meeting will be held in Melbourne 16th October 2004. Further details will follow.


SPORTS NEWS

Athletics

Finalists for the Athletics Australia AWD 'Athlete's Athlete of The Year' to be announced on Sunday 29th of February at the closing Dinner of the Athletics Nationals have been announced:


· Paul Harpur (QLD)
- Silver medal 400m at IBSA World Championships as well as a semi finalist in 100m and 200m
- Has dropped from 58sec to 54sec over 400m

· Louise Sauvage (NSW)
- Won her fifth consecutive IAAF 800m World Title
- Won her 10th Oz Day International 10K (2003)
- Continues her high profile and ambassador role on and off the track

· Kurt Fearnley (NSW)
- 1st place in 800m at 2003 American Series
- 3rd Place in 2003 Oz Day International 10k
- 2nd Place in 1500m at 2003 America Series
- Australian Record - 800m (02/07/03)

· Geoff Trappett (QLD)
- World Record 100m - first wheelchair athlete to a sub 14sec (13.99 on 12/04/2003)
- QLD Sporting Wheelies Ambassador
- QLD Active Schools Campaign Ambassador


A "DRAFT" athletics schedule for the 2004 Athens Paralympics is now on the IPC Athletics website at www.ipc-athletics.org


Basketball

Women's Club Champs - will be held at the Thornleigh Basketball Stadium in NSW 13-14 March 2004.

NRMA Insurance National League - will commence 3-4 April in Brisbane, to view a slide show of last years finals visit http://www.sports.org.au/slides/wnwbl/pages/wbasket1.html

NWBL - The NWBL Executive advises six teams will contest the 2004 NWBL:

BRISBANE SPINNING BULLETS
DANDENONG RANGERS
TELSTRA COUNTRY WIDE (WOLLONGONG) ROLLER HAWKS
PERTH WHEELCATS
WENTWORTHVILLE LEAGUES WHEELKINGS
WEST SYDNEY RAZORBACKS

The minor rounds will commence Saturday 1st May and conclude the weekend of 1st-2nd August. The minor rounds will be run as a "triple round robin" competition on a (mostly) home and away basis. The final series will be held Friday 6th to Sunday the 8th of August at the home of the Dandenong Rangers.

In a change from last season, in 2004 players in the NWBL will not have to show their strapping on their classification card. Players will be permitted to use any legal strapping they wish without it affecting their playing classification. Side guards on wheelchairs will not be needed to be shown on their classification card.

The NWBL Executive Committee (and following the lead of the GBWA) recognises that the current rules of the sport have made the game much more dynamic and exciting. This is particularly the case with regard to actions like tilting the chair to assist with shooting, defending, rebounding, etc. Actions like this are only possible through the use of strapping, fixing the chair to the player, which has particularly aided high point players. In the case of a 4.5 player, this has allowed them to increase their volume of action, without it having an effect on their classification.

Visiting IWBF Referee - Renowned IWBF referee Mr. Vlad Eshenko of Canada will take long service leave in Australia from 16th March to 8th June. During that period will be appointed to WSA-BS events and NWBL games as a referee or referees coach. Vlad will visit most, if not all, states during that time. The NWBL is most pleased to have Vlad's assistance.

The Rollers - Noel Rowsell reports the Australian men's wheelchair basketball team has won a bronze medal at the Osaka Cup in Japan, after falling to both Japan (55-37) and World and Paralympic champions Canada (73-47) in their opening two games.

The Rollers recovered to defeat Korea twice, the first in the final game of the preliminary rounds by 72-52 then later grabbing a 65-45 win in the playoff for third and fourth positions.

Lawn Bowls

Alf Boyle reports the results of the 2004 Wheelchair Sports South Australia Lawn Bowls Championships were as follows:

1st Barry Charity
2nd Stan Bolto
3rd Freddie Bawden
4th Clive Adsett

and the South Australia Championships results were:

1st George Charlesworth
2nd Bob Jones
Joint 3rd Neville Read & Barry Charity

Rugby

Final preparations are under way for the 2004 National Wheelchair Rugby League, to view a slideshow of last years league visit: http://www.sports.org.au/slides/rugby/pages/rugby1.html

Tennis

World Team Cup - The 20th Invacare World Team Cup took place in January in Christchurch, New Zealand. More than 30 nations competed for the Men's, Women's, Quad and Junior titles. The Men's, Women's and Junior titles were all won by the Netherlands, while the Quad title was lifted by Israel. In recognition of their sportsmanship and dedication to the game, the Australian Junior Team was presented with the Team of the Year Award.

Classic 8s - David Hall successful defended his Men's title at the Wheelchair Classic 8's at the Australian Open whilst Esther Vergeer also successfully defended her women's title. Hall won his second Classic 8's title with a 6 4, 7 5 win over 2002 champion and World No 2 Robin Ammerlaan. The Women's final followed much the same pattern as the 2003 final Esther Vergeer defeating Daniela Di Toro 4 6, 6 3, 6 1.

Sydney International Open - Robin Ammerlaan reclaimed the Men's Main Draw Singles title from David Hall in a thrilling final at the 2004 NRMA Insurance Sydney International Open. Meanwhile, World No 1 Esther Vergeer defeated second seed Daniela Di Toro in the Women's Main Draw Singles final. World No 1 Quad Peter Norfolk won the Quad Main Draw Singles final. Michael Esler from Australia and Cameron Hastings from New Zealand finished top of a five-way round robin in the Junior Singles, but Esler took the spoils after edging Hastings 9-8 in their head-to-head clash.

Australian Open - David Hall defeated fourth seed Martin Legner in the Men's Main Draw Singles final at the Australian Open. Esther Vergeer won her third consecutive Australian Open easing past compatriot and third seed Sonja Peters in the final of the Women's Main Draw Singles. Peter Norfolk defeated second seed David Wagner to win the Quad Main Draw Singles final. After winning the Junior title at the Sydney International, Michael Esler completed a double lifting the Junior Singles title again at Melbourne Park. Top seed Esler defeated young compatriot and second seed Heath Davidson in the final.

March Calendar of Events
3-7 Lawn Bowls QLD State Lawn Bowls Championships Chermside, QLD
6 Swimming NSW Sports Council for the Disabled Meet Homebush, NSW
7 Athletics NSW Sports Council for the Disabled Meet Homebush, NSW
7 Athletics Los Angeles Marathon LA, USA
12-14 Athletics ACT Championships ACT
12-14 Athletics Tasmania State Championships Tasmania
13-14 Basketball National Club Championships Thornleigh, NSW
13-14 Tennis Tasmanian Open Hobart, Tasmania
22-28 Basketball IWBF Asia Oceania Championships Shellharbour, NSW
26-28 Athletics IGA Youth (under 18) Championships Canberra, ACT

Correct at time of print.