Paralympic medalists share skills in Vacaville
The new wheelchair basketball program at California Medical Facility (CMF) is teaching sportsmanship, athletic skill, and acceptance.
CDCR’s Division of Adult Institutions (DAI) generously donated the equipment to CMF. There, Coach J. Holland is dedicated to not only providing opportunities for incarcerated people to play sports, but also to build community and camaraderie.
Staff and incarcerated people gathered for opening night to kick off the wheelchair basketball program, called “Rollin’ to Rebound.” The event included Paralympic medal-winning athletes who volunteered their time and skills for an exhibition game with the incarcerated athletes. Holland shared that such a program is a team effort, and not just from the athletes.
“It’s custody, working with all of us, it’s free staff working with all of us, its dedicated community members willing to take time out of their lives to come inside and support programing,” he said. And it takes guys on the inside. It takes those four groups of people trusting each other, willing to work with each other, to build this.”
“This is actually, community that we’re building,” said CMF athlete Scotty Henson. “We wouldn’t really have this thing solely the way that it is. “We’ve got everybody coming together to make something great happen. And there’s nothing better than that.”
Video by Rob Stewart, TV Specialist
Office of Public and Employee Communications