Council Bluffs to Host 2004 National Wheelchair Softball Tournament
06/28/2004
The National Wheelchair Softball Association and the Eastern Nebraska Wheelchair Athletic Association�s (ENWAA) 2003 National Champion Nebraska Barons will host this summer�s 2004 National Championship Tournament. The annual event is Thursday, August 5 through Saturday, August 7 at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs. More than 500 visitors from across the nation, including 250 athletes, are expected to participate in the event.
This is the first year that this tournament will be held in the greater Council Bluffs-Omaha area, and we hope that people from all over our city will come out to support these talented athletes as they showcase their extraordinary abilities,� said Bruce Froendt, the 2004 National Championship Tournament director and a member of the ENWAA board.
Froendt who is also the Nebraska Barons coach said that his team plans to defend their national title in this year�s event.
Jena Munson, who is a therapeutic recreation specialist at Alegent Health Immanuel Rehabilitation Center, said that the tournament is exciting and fast-paced and the athletes are truly inspiring.
The Mid-America Center�s parking lots will be turned into three softball fields. Between 15 and 20 softball teams will converge to compete in more than 50 games in a double elimination tournament to determine the national champion.
The athletes come from all walks of life, including doctors, lawyers, professors, business professionals, professional baseball players, factory workers and even unemployed. Their disabilities include amputation, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, spinal bifida, other birth defects and traumatic injuries.
Wheelchair softball provides an avenue for participants to achieve athletic and competitive goals. The athletes practice weekly and compete in tournaments throughout the summer in their quest to attend the national championship. For more information, visit www.wheelchairsoftball.com.
