By Townhall Chicago News Staff
The Chicago Park District opened its 15th annual Basketball Bonanza youth wheelchair basketball tournament Saturday at Broadway Armory on the city’s North Side, the first of two consecutive weekends of adaptive sports competition in November.
The youth tournament, running Saturday and Sunday, features more than 100 athletes competing for a Midwest championship at the 5917 N. Broadway facility, according to a Park District news release published Friday.
“The success of tournaments like these showcase how imperative it is that everyone has equitable and accessible recreational opportunities available to them citywide,” Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa said in the release. “It is incredibly rewarding to witness athletes of all abilities compete at a high level, while fostering a tight knit community in their local park.”
Saturday’s games follow a round-robin format to determine seeding for Sunday’s bracket-style championship tournament. Competition begins at 9 a.m. both days, and the public can attend and watch at no cost.
The Basketball Bonanza tournament is for youth with a primary physical disability who compete on National Wheelchair Basketball Association-sanctioned teams, including the Chicago Skyhawks youth program, according to the Park District. The Skyhawks program hosts competition in two divisions: the Junior Prep Division for children ages 6 through 12, and the Junior 10-foot division for youth ages 13 through 18, or those still in high school.
The tournament is coordinated in collaboration with the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, the Park District’s program partner.
The 17th annual Second City Showdown, an adult wheelchair basketball tournament, will follow the next weekend on Nov. 14 and 15 at the same Broadway Armory location. That competition will bring several Midwestern NWBA teams together for a major tournament.
Broadway Armory Park is the Chicago Park District’s largest indoor recreational facility, spanning 2.33 acres in the Edgewater community. The former National Guard armory was purchased by the Park District in 1998 and houses five gymnasia and 13 rooms, making it well-suited for large sporting events.
The Park District offers year-round adaptive sports and special recreation programs, including basketball, archery, winter sports, art classes and additional activities. Information on these programs is available through the Park District’s Special Recreation Programs page.
Those interested in registering a team for the adult Second City Showdown tournament can contact Daniel Ferreira at the Park District at 312-296-5973.
