The 24th annual Katie Kirlin Junior Wheelchair Basketball Tournament will take place:
- Saturday, January 22, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Sunday, January 23, 2022 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This regional tournament is for athletes ages 8 to 18. The outcome determines who plays in this spring’s National Wheelchair Basketball Association tournament.
Games take place at Parks & Rec sites and the nearby School of the Future.
This year’s tournament is sponsored by Toyota and admission for all is free! Local businesses and sponsors fund the tournament and contribute to the Katie Kirlin Fund.
There are two divisions of play during the tournament:
- The prep division is for younger, beginner athletes.
- The varsity division hosts older and more advanced athletes.
Five organizations and over 100 athletes will compete in the tournament this year. The youth wheelchair basketball teams include:
- Katie’s Komets (Philadelphia, PA)
- Bennett Blazers (Baltimore, MD)
- Fairfax Falcons (Fairfax, VA)
- Rolling Fury (New York, NY)
- Ryan Martin Foundation Trojans (Norwalk, CT)
Parks & Rec’s Home Team
Katie’s Komets is Parks & Rec’s home team. This co-ed wheelchair basketball team is for kids with physical disabilities. It is one of many inclusive activities offered by Parks & Rec. These programs help fulfill Parks & Rec’s commitment to providing affordable, high-quality programs for residents of all abilities.
About the Katie Kirlin Fund
The Katie Kirlin Fund supports both the team (Katie’s Komets) and the regional tournament.
The Kirlin family established this fund to honor Katie’s achievements in wheelchair athletics. The fund encourages Philadelphia-area youth to take part in wheelchair sports. It provides grants to:
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sponsor wheelchair sporting events.
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buy specially designed wheelchairs for athletes.
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support wheelchair sports programs.
Visit this page for more information on some of Philadelphia's most inclusive programs.
