Rollin’ Hornets Shooting for National Title

CHARLOTTE, NC —  Playing basketball is hard enough, but imagine playing with just your arms and hands, while sitting in a chair, on wheels!

The Rollin’ Hornets are getting ready for a shot at the 2017 national title.

“You get two pushes, and then you have to pass, shoot or dribble,” says Coach Mike Godsey, describing the rules for wheelchair basketball.

They are hoop prodigies, on wheels!

The Rollin’ Hornets have five wheelchair basketball teams; three for kids and two adult squads.

“I love being with my friends, and playing ball, and the time with them,” says Rollin’ Hornets player Preston Howell. “They’re like family to me sometimes.”

Spend a few minutes with these players, coaches and families and you realize two things:

What they do is incredibly hard. And they are the tightest of teammates.

“They go through the hard stuff together,” says Jennifer Smith, whose son plays in the junior team. “It makes them feel like a team. When they’re out there playing, they know each other so well.”

“It took me five years to get where I am now, and I’m still learning,” says Howell. “I’m still getting drills and plays. I’m still learning all that.”

“It takes a lot of practice,” says Rollin’ Hornets player Lizzy Becker. “It took me a couple of years to really like get the basic skills down.”

Becker is heading into her senior year of high school. She started playing eight years ago, and is now a basketball rock star, with plans to keep playing in college.

“It’s kind of like bumper cars,” says Becker of the game. “It’s definitely a contact sport. And you can’t be afraid of falling over, or something like that, but you kind of get used to it.”

“The chairs are between $2,000 and $5,000 a piece,” says Godsey. “We try to provide those free of charge, in a loaner program, for new individuals that are coming into the sport.”

The Rollin’ Hornets are part of Abilities Unlimited of the Carolinas, a 100% volunteer run non-profit. They help players with those wheelchairs, and 50% of the travel expenses to the many tournaments the teams play.

Godsey is one of the founding directors. He says it’s all about giving these athletes a chance to experience team sports.

“These kids are going to be the leaders of tomorrow,” says Godsey. “They are as bright as anybody you’ll come across. They just happen to have a physical disability.”

The Rollin’ Hornets have placed a team in the national top 10 every year they’ve been playing, including a 5th place finish last year. They have also sent 14 athletes on to college to play adaptive sports on scholarship.