Athletes don't let wheelchair stop them

Athletes don't let wheelchair stop them (Added: October 13, 2010)

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH - Members of the recently formed Sports Mobility Network seek athletes who may be confined to a wheelchair for one reason or another, but can still compete and push themselves to tr (more)

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NORTH MYRTLE BEACH - Michelle Chastain has been confined to a wheelchair for more than 20 years, but that doesn't stop her and other members of the Sports Mobility Network from trying new sports, like tennis.

By: Rusty Ray | SCNOW
Published: October 13, 2010

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH - Michelle Chastain survived not one--but two--traumatic car accidents over the past 25 years. The first left her confined to a wheelchair after a spinal cord injury, and the second, which just happened in March, forced her to undergo more surgery on her legs.

But it's the second that opened her eyes to what she thought she could do to help others who find themselves in a similar situation.

"I thought, 'all the years I wanted to start something, to reach out to other people with disabilities to get active, and there's no better time," Chastain said.

So she set about organizing the Sports Mobility Network, a group of athletes who've suffered varying injuries--some wheelchair-bound, some not--and are looking for ways to stay active and compete in different sports like tennis, basketball, and bocce ball.

"There's people out there that need it, and there's no reason to sit at home," she said.

Michael Warner suffered a similar injury several years ago, but he used his love of sports to get up out of his chair and get back moving.

"(Sports offers) a really positive mindset that just makes that really worthwhile," he said.

Warner and Chastain, along with Melinda Chappell with the North Myrtle Beach Aquatic and Fitness Center, have helped organize Sports Mobility Network events, like this Friday's basketball game, pitting public figures, local celebrities, and others against the wheelchair-bound athletes.

"Sometimes we think you can't do things when you're in a chair," said Chappell. " You can be just like anybody else. We tend to limit ourselves," she said.

Chastain enjoys cycling with her husband, but she knows this program allows a chance for others to enjoy themselves and maybe try something new.

"Someone else is going to come here, and they're going to be awesome at tennis, or they're going to be awesome at basketball," she said. "That's what this is all about--just getting out there and living life."

For more information about the Sports Mobility Network, click here.