Louhans

Disability awareness in schools in the department? It’s been a long-time operation that works. Like this Thursday, May 21 at the Notre-Dame de Louhans-Châteaurenaud School. The 4th and 4th-grade general and agricultural education students attended various sports workshops offered by speakers from the wheelchair basketball section of the Élan Chalon club. A good way to convey messages of prevention and tolerance while playing sports. After forming three groups of seven, each group scattered to different workshops, with a rotation every half hour.

It didn’t take long for the male groups to rush to the wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby workshops. Twelve wheelchairs from the Élan Chalon team 2 were brought for the occasion, some of which are used for awareness-raising actions like this one.

“Young people are curious, interested”

After a brief reminder of the specifics of wheelchair play, it’s time to practice. Surprisingly, the young people quickly adapt to this material they are discovering. In no time, they understand how to handle it and try, sometimes with difficulty, to score a few tries/baskets.

“Here, it’s a good infrastructure to host our workshops, we have enough space to set up the equipment and play. We feel the young people curious, interested,” smiles Antoine Peteuil, manager of the Élan Chalon wheelchair basketball team. Young people have no hesitation in going directly into contact with their opponents of the day, whether in rugby or basketball.

Two other workshops immersed students in the daily lives of visually impaired people. With blindfolds on, they had to navigate obstacles, guided only by the voice of their classmate. “It forces us to trust each other,” declares one of the students. While some started out very confident, they were quickly reminded of the reality of obstacles in their path.

The last sport destination for visually impaired people, called torball, is a team game played on the ground with the goal of outrunning the opponent to score a goal using a sound ball. The young people enjoyed playing the game.

A message of respect, tolerance, and acceptance of differences

Through these playful workshops, there is a real message of tolerance, respect, and acceptance of people with disabilities. “We want to help them understand that even with a disability, sports are accessible and can help those who suffer to better integrate into society. Even with a disability, we can find a sport that suits us. These days are an opportunity for us to remind everyone to be more tolerant towards people with disabilities,” adds Antoine Peteuil.

And precisely, that day, Youcef Aboud was present to tell his story. An 18-year-old young man with a condition that forces him to use a wheelchair. He turned his disability into a strength and now plays in the first team of the wheelchair basketball team at Élan Chalon.

The students will have the opportunity to ask the player any questions, which he will answer candidly. Despite always managing on his own without external professional help, Youcef still needs a home and a car adapted to his disability. “I have a lower kitchen and cabinets. I am currently getting my driver’s license with an adapted steering wheel. A steering wheel that I will have to fit on my future car, costing several thousand euros,” he replies to a student. Amidst announcing an initial cost of 7,000 euros—without financial aid—for his regular wheelchair compared to 6,000 euros for a wheelchair adapted for basketball. While he has not experienced harassment, Youcef often faces the staring looks of the public, so he takes the opportunity to remind people of the correct behaviors to adopt.

After a few minutes of discussion, the students will end their awareness half-day with a five-a-side basketball match. The Handibasket section organizes about forty of these actions every season, starting in October and ending towards the end of June.