Wheelchair basketball player holds court with U-M men’s team

As the days got closer, 10-year-old Matthew Ward grew increasingly excited to interview the University of Michigan Men’s Basketball team. He was elated at the chance to be able to talk to his favorite Wolverines one on one.

Matthew was born with spina bifida and has used a wheelchair for mobility his entire life. He has always had a love for all things sports. When the family moved to Michigan five years ago, it was a no brainer to enroll him in the Rollverines – a co-ed wheelchair basketball team created by the University of Michigan Health Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation program. More specifically, the Rollverines are part of the U-M Adaptive and Inclusive Sports Experience – or UMAISE – which runs other programs, including adaptive kayaking, walker soccer, handcycling and more.

A few weeks before his journalism debut, Matthew was asked by his Rollverines basketball coach, Dan Ellman, if he would be interested in interviewing some players from the men’s basketball team and having the interviews featured at one of the Wolverines’ home games.

“I don’t think he really knew what to make of it at first,” said Matthew’s mom, Carla Ward. “He showed interest in conducting the interview, but the reality of it hadn’t hit him yet.”

Matthew got to interview some of his favorite Wolverines face to face, including Hunter Dickinson, Will Tschetter, and Jett Howard. The interviews were played over the jumbotron at the Crisler Center during the Wolverines’ Jan. 1 game against the University of Maryland.

The excitement didn’t stop with the interviews though. Matthew and his mom were invited to the game where Matthew was able to join some Rollverine teammates to help hype up the Wolverines as they came out of the tunnel onto the court. During the game, Matthew became a bit of a microcelebrity from his interviews.

“We had a few people come up to him and congratulate him on a job well done,” said Carla Ward. “It really meant a lot to him; he loved the attention.”

Coach Ellman knew that Matthew would be perfect for the role of junior reporter due to his outgoing personality on and off the court with the Rollverines.

Becoming a Rollverine

At school, Matthew started watching his friends become involved in various sports. Having such a passion for athletics, Matthew was determined to find a way that he could participate in organized sports as well.

“As he got older, he started seeing his friends get involved in sports that he couldn’t,” said Carla Ward. “He started getting frustrated that he couldn’t partake in them as well.”

While participating in another wheelchair basketball group, the Wards were introduced to the Rollverines. Matthew started going to practices at age five and never stopped.

“He had an instant connection with Coach Ellman,” said Carla Ward. “He loves being on the team and having an active outlet where he doesn’t think about how he is different from his peers.”

Being on the Rollverines gave Matthew the confidence to give other adaptive sports a try as well. He is currently also involved in jujitsu and wheelchair tennis.

The Rollverines is open for children from ages 5 to 18. The group seeks to create more accessibility to adaptive sports, help players learn team bonding skills, and give them a chance to socialize and grow in a comfortable environment.

Over the past five years, Carla Ward has seen many positive changes within Matthew.

“Sure, he has more upper body strength, but most importantly it has given him the opportunity to come out of his shell and gain confidence through socializing with kids similar to him,” she said.

Ellman, the head coach of the Rollverines, understands the importance of socializing with children in similar situations all too well. Ellman was also born with spina bifida and was a member of a wheelchair basketball league throughout his childhood.

“Adaptive sports give children the chance to socialize, be active, and not have to think about how they may be different than their peers,” he said.

Ellman has been the head coach of the program for its entirety. Not only has he seen the program grow, but he has been able to see the children grow along with it.

“When we started, we did very basic drills. Now, the kids can shoot baskets and we can create more in-depth plays,” he said. “I have seen a lot of kids and parents come out of their shells. While the socialization is important for the kids, it is just as important for the parents to be able to bond with each other.”

The Rollverines is free to join and equipment, such as sport wheelchairs, is provided. The group is not restricted to children who need to use wheelchairs in daily life. Any child who is unable to play able-bodied basketball is welcome to join the Rollverines.

The group is rebuilding due to the COVID-19 pandemic putting a pause on their ability to meet in person. While the team currently meets once a week for an hour and a half practice, they are hoping to gain enough members to be able to travel to tournaments soon. The Rollverines’ practice schedule typically follows the academic year, but families are encouraged to sign up at any time. To learn more about registration email [email protected].