Wheelchair basketball at Illinois began in 1948 when the Gizz Kids team was founded, becoming the first university wheelchair basketball team. Originally, the team played against able-bodied collegiate and community teams who would also use a chair for the game at the University of Illinois Galesburg Campus. The wheelchairs used at the team’s advent were standard model chairs that weighed 50lbs! The games were highly attended and as Gizz Kids was an extension of Delta Sigma Omicron, a portion of the ticket sales went towards charity.
State Farm Center – Wheelchair basketball games continue to be held at the State Farm Center to this day.
Illini Adapted Athletics History. (2022). Disability Resources and Educational Services at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. https://www.disability.illinois.edu/athletics/athletics-background/illini-adapted-athletics-history.
Stamm, C. (2015, July 23). The Gizz Kids: Athletics for Students with Disabilities. Student Life and Culture Archives. https://archives.library.illinois.edu/slc/the-gizz-kids-athletics-for-students-with-disabilities/.
Zilis, A. (2019, March 10). This Week at State Farm Center: World-Class Wheelchair Basketball. The News-Gazette. https://www.news-gazette.com/news/this-week-at-state-farm-center-world-class-wheelchair-basketball/article_c271b812-623e-54c8-b781-58ff761055fa.html.