For my early age I would have aspirations to make the county scene routine, and to win
what I learned was me, they know how to make something funny, but that's what you're going
to play for, that's the glory.
Everything I did revolved around Gillick football, but I would have county medals at 114, 116,
minor, and I would have a few senior medals, so if I wasn't playing golf I'd play soccer,
so there was a soccer match on that Sunday morning, and I was travelling on my motor
bike to the match, and I went up a steep hill and lost control of the bike, and I hit a
tree, ended up breaking me back in four places, which left me paralyzed.
Sport is part of your rehab in the hospital, so basketball was one, and of course I was
used to team sports, so I just slipped into it I suppose, I'd say sport is a very important
part of social life, you're getting out there, you're interacting, you're staying healthy,
body and mind are staying active, it gives you goals to aim towards, and I just think
it's a very, very important part that everyone should be involved in, I would find it tougher
to get fit playing with your basketball than Gillick ever took, because it's more of stop
stares, stop stares, stop stares.
Well, it's mainly the chair skills, it takes a couple of years, but you need the actual
chairs, and the chairs are so light, and they help in the game, it's basically the same
as your body, basketball, but to try and get it to you, it's very, very tough.
Each player is graded on their disability, and they're given a point system, so if you're
a high-level injury, you are a one-pointer, then as a disability, you would have more
trunk leg movements, see, an amputee would be four-pointer, so the five players on the
court can only add up to 14 points, I'm a low-pointer, so I'll be sitting fairly low
on the chair, and you'd see some lads, amputees and stuff, and they'd just be towering across
you. That can be frustrating, right?
If you watch the game there, you see the skill involved in it, it's just amazing to control
the chair, and shoot the basket, so it's a tougher game, and it's more exciting.
I sit in the chair all day, it can be very easy to put on weight, but if you're getting
active, it's very good mentally as well, I suppose. Kind of feel important if you're
involved in sports.
There's a lot of talk about stem cell research, and people getting a cure for spinal injury,
because there is no cure, but the best piece of advice I would have got would be not to
worry about that, if it happens, it happens, and just to get on with your life as it is,
and be happy, I have what you have. After an accident, I get to realise there's more
important things.
Brilliant potential, brilliant potential, he's a low-pointer, he built a one-pointer prevention.
The winning feeling is the fact, but you want to get to know.
And I believe if he's trained right in coach right, he'll be a very, very good one-point
player.
I'm playing basketball at the moment, and I'd have asked Brest to become the best in
the world.
Hey, have a party in the sun, everybody's feeling number one, and the best is yet to
come.
Hey, we'll be dancing all day long, cause we're family, baby.
