Official team announcement!

So it is official! I am honoured to be able to say that I will be representing Australia at the London Paralympics for wheelchair basketball!

I have actually known since the start of June when the Gliders had their training camp in Perth, however we were sworn to secrecy until the APC officially announced it. Which was this morning at the WA Basketball Centre!

Read the official media release on the APC's website: CLICK HERE!

ABC is the official broadcaster for the APC at the London Paralympics, but Channel 10 also aired a piece on TV tonight. To watch: CLICK HERE!

I would like to thank a few organisations:

• Basketball Australia;
• the Australian Paralympic Committee;
• the Australian Government;
• the Australian Sports Commission;
• the Western Australian Institute of Sport;
• Wheelchair Sports WA;
• Murdoch University (and the Murdoch Elite Athlete Program);

and all of their respective sponsors. Without your contributions to sport in general, wheelchair basketball, the teams I play for and to me as an individual - I wouldn't be able to play the sport I love so much at the level I am able to.

Special mentions to:

• My family, especially my husband Lee who has to put up with me being away all the time and who will be flying to London to cheer me along (look for him and his brother when camera's pan across the crowd!) and my Dad and step-mum in Newcastle, NSW who drive to Sydney or fly to Melbourne when they can to watch me compete. 
• All the ladies at work who also put up with me being away all the time (thank you for the special lunch today!).
• RAM Wheelchairs for making me a FANTASTIC basketball wheelchair to compete in at the London Paralympics. 
• The rest of the Glider's squad and coaching staff! 
• and this little guy who would like to come with me but unfortunately can't:

a) Taj cuddles for the camera b) Wanting to come with me c) Stealing my Australian playing singlet

Thank you to everyone else that has ever supported me or my team - it is greatly appreciated!

The following girls will be going to the London Paralympics for wheelchair basketball. If you have a Twitter account then feel free to follow their road to London as well!
Amber Merritt – @bambibabydoll
Leanne del Toso – @leannedeltoso
Bridie Kean – @brideski
Cobi Crispin – @CobiEllen
Shelley Chaplin – @ShelleyChaplin
Sarah Stewart – @SarahStewartAus
Tina McKenzie – @tinamac8
Katie Hill – @katie_lee_hill
Kylie Gauci – @kyliegauci11
Sarah Vinci – @Sarah_Vinci
Clare Nott – @clarenott10
Amanda Carter – @Amanda_Carter64

Of course, with every team announcement there are the handful of Glider's who weren't selected to be part of the team, despite the blood, sweat, and tears they endured and the hard work and sacrifices they made over the last 4 years. To my beautiful sissy, you will be right there with me in spirit. xx

Next week the 12 girls mentioned above will train on the Gold Coast before heading to Sydney for the Gliders World Challenge. Today I was interviewed and asked which other teams we would be competing against and I had a total mental blank. I play like a boss no matter who we play - no opponent should have an easy game against us! (I can now tell you that we will be playing against Germany, Japan and China). For ticketing information for the Gliders (and Rollers) World Challenge: CLICK HERE!

- 55 days til the London Paralympics

PS. The Western Stars came 3rd! I just realised I haven't written about the WNWBL finals yet. We were disappointed to not make the grand final, but we were super happy to win bronze. Congrats to the Melbourne girls for their back to back win. Their shooting % over the finals weekend was amazing!