Memphis Rollin' Grizzlies

Going to the Memphis Rollin’ Grizzlies practice was such an exciting experience. I was not sure what to expect beforehand, so I went in with an open mind just hoping to see something new. Right away, the players were kind and open to talking to us. When they came over to take a group picture, some of the players thanked us for coming. I was kind of shocked they thanked us because we were the ones crashing their practice! We immediately said no, thank you and told them how much we appreciate being able to watch this. Watching the actual game was very intense. They were just as aggressive and agile as any athlete I have ever seen, but in a different way, of course. I was very appreciative that the older gentleman that seemed like the he was in charge of the team came over and explained the rules to us since they are a little different than regular basketball rules. The skill it takes to be successful in wheelchair basketball is so crazy. After they played their game, we were able to sit in their chairs and try it out. I was surprised that I was able to make turns in the wheelchair fairly easily but once I added a basketball to it, it was very difficult. The power it takes to be able to get the ball into the hoop from a seated position is very great. I had to try many times before actually making a basket. While we were in their chairs, the athletes stayed around to answer any questions we may have. They were very sweet and wanted us to learn as much as we could. This was such a cool experience that I am so glad we could all be a part of. It has given me such a strong appreciation for those athletes and what they do.