The Illinois wheelchair basketball team began its exhibition season by traveling to elementary, middle and high schools all over central Illinois to educate students as part of Disability Awareness Month.

Last Thursday was the first exhibition at Jefferson Middle School in Champaign. The performance consisted of a game explanation, a scrimmage by the players and then some of the kids were allowed to try the sport themselves.

“It’s really great for the kids,” Jefferson physical education teacher Lynn Srull said. “They appreciate, when they watch the athletes play, overcoming the disabilities – they’re not letting the disabilities stop them from doing something they enjoy.”

When some students were strapped down in chairs and allowed to play, the gym filled with laughter and cheers from students in the stands.

The team always gets an overwhelmingly positive response from the kids, said Zach Beaulieu of the Illinois wheelchair basketball team.

“They enjoyed it a lot,” said Zach Beaulieu, a member of the Illini wheelchair team. “They get to realize, ‘Holy cow, this is actually hard.’ It’s not just this game. It’s actually a sport.”

Letting the kids play helps them to understand disabilities better, said Maureen Gilbert, coordinator at the Office of Campus Life in the division of Disability Resources and Educational Services.

“They know that someone in a wheelchair isn’t someone to be afraid of or you can’t talk to someone in a wheelchair,” Gilbert said. “So this helps break down that barrier. It gives them something fun – a different look at a disability.”

The team has six more exhibitions this month, in addition to the Ultimate Basketball Challenge on Wednesday evening at Huff Hall. After the Jefferson exhibition was over, students were given free posters. The children swarmed Beaulieu for the chance to get an autograph.

“The kids knocked over Luther Head when he was here,” Srull said to Beaulieu. “So consider yourself lucky.”

Each member of the team is required to perform at least two exhibitions this month, but some volunteer to do more.

“One of the things the University wants the students to do is community service after they graduate,” head coach Mike Frogley said. “I think this is a great example of how the students today can prepare for tomorrow.”