If you walk past the gym at Murdoch University on a Saturday morning, the sounds of children laughing and playing spill out the door.

It sounds like any other sports centre on a weekend – and it is. But when you step inside, you immediately see there’s something different about this game. Everyone is in a wheelchair.  

“You just smile the whole time – you can’t help it,” Simon Mead, Chief Executive Officer of Rebound WA, said.

“These kids are making the same special memories that so many of us have, playing footy with friends, shooting a basketball with dad.”

It’s a program run by Rebound WA, which was set up to remove barriers so children and adults with physical disability can have the same participation opportunities as their able-bodied peers.

“We want Western Australians living with physical disability to lead fuller, more active and more connected lives, and sport has a big role to play in making that possible,” Mead said.

They have been helping people with disabilities access sport for more than 60 years. However, up until 2022, the programs were exclusively run in Mirrabooka. These weren’t well attended by families south of the river as the long drive made it difficult, as it would for any family.

So, they embarked on a mission to find a more accessible location south of the river and approached Murdoch Active, the University's sports and recreation department.

“They threw the doors of the gym wide open – they welcomed us in and went above and beyond to accommodate the needs of the program,” Mead said.

The impact has been profound.

While most able-bodied kids can go ten minutes in any direction to find a sports club, children with a physical disability don't have that luxury.

By offering programs south of the river, Rebound WA have been able to engage a far bigger part of the community and offer more opportunities for children who had previously been unable to continue.

One young boy who had left the program reconnected with Rebound WA at Murdoch and has gone on to the national under-23 development squad.

“It just highlights the importance of accessible sports programs in fostering talent and providing opportunities for children with disabilities,” Jamie Ball, Manager of Murdoch Active, said.

“Everyone should be welcome to sport."

The sessions at Murdoch have a unique and welcoming atmosphere, which has been a significant factor in their success. The quiet and spacious environment on Saturday mornings allows families to relax and enjoy their time together.

A couple of parents and siblings usually jump in wheelchairs and join the action, while others chat on the sidelines and watch their kids light up.

“The opportunity for connection is so valuable,” Mead said.

This is a support network too. All the families are going through similar experiences at similar ages and are there to help each other.  

It’s what sport has always done – bring people together with benefits that go far beyond the court, Ball explains.

“Sport is incredibly important to community,” he said.

“It has the power to improve physical health and mental wellbeing, and also to build confidence and social connections.”

“These benefits come regardless of the level being played or ability of participants – which makes it vital that we provide access to social sporting and activity programs to all members of our communities.”

The partnership has also allowed Rebound WA to move their adolescent program, Spinners Youth Active, to Murdoch, offering even more options for those with a physical disability.

This partnership has not only benefited the children and their families, but the Murdoch community as well.

Rebound WA provides access to wheelchair sports for staff and students, with wheelchair basketball becoming a permanent fixture in the staff games held each year.

"Able-bodied people can go to any sports and recreational facility across WA and freely engage in physical activity should they choose,” Ball said.

“Through growing partnerships with organisations like Rebound WA we hope to improve our spaces so that people with disabilities can have the same freedom of choice.

“We want to create a place where if you feel like shooting some hoops or playing a little tennis after school or work, you can confidently visit our facilities knowing you'll be able to do just that."

Learn more about our community services and partnerships.