Hope you were able to catch some of the Paralympic action. All of us at Ride developed a personal connection to the US Men’s Wheelchair Basketball team when Matt Scott (front and center) visited shortly before the Games, looking for a more optimal connection with his wheelchair.
While at Ride, Matt allowed us to film him speaking about his wheelchair basketball story and the importance of seating to his health and career as a professional athlete.
A five-time Paralympian, now a two-time gold medalist, Matt was also voted by Team USA to be the flag bearer at the closing ceremonies — well done!
Matt Scott came to Ride Designs recently, looking for a more optimal connection with his basketball wheelchair, as he prepared for the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
An elite competitor, Matt has played wheelchair basketball on nearly every stage, from pick up ball with friends, to junior league, collegiate, US National team, then professionally abroad in a number of countries, plus at the Paralympic level. A chair that is not working at 100% efficiency means Matt isn’t able to achieve what he knows he can on the court.
Matt’s old seating set up was big and bulky with lots of straps. He felt limited. The straps meant that he couldn’t carry the basketball in his lap and push with both hands. There was also extra give and flex in the bucket seating on his basketball chair — it no longer felt like an extension of himself on the court and didn’t respond to his movements the way he wanted.
Ride Designs listened to the challenges Matt was having with his chair and worked with him to figure out the best way to remedy each limitation. New, smaller straps were added that tightened the bucket closer to his body so that he could carry the ball more easily and keep it protected. The tighter-fitting solution also kept the bucket from flexing into the wheels on extreme turns, making the chair much more responsive. Seeking a second gold medal at your fifth Paralympic games, means that both the equipment and the athlete must be functioning at the highest level.
Matt is currently using a Ride Custom 2 Cushion for his daily seating and is feeling more protected and comfortable than ever. The choice to switch his seating to Ride Designs was a reaction to a serious health scare. Matt hopes to encourage others to be more proactive about their seating and skin health so that they never have an experience similar to his.
Learn more about Matt…
Join us in cheering on Matt and Team USA at the Tokyo 2020 (2021) Paralympic Games!
Stay tuned to the Games:
Official Paralympic Games website, constantly being updated.
A detailed schedule of which event is happening when, here.
How/where to watch, even if you don’t have cable, here.
“The United States may be the birthplace of basketball, but to make a career out of playing wheelchair hoops, athletes have had to move overseas.” — Gwen Knapp, New York Times, writes about professional wheelchair basketball teams abroad here.
Jenny Siegle was awarded the NRRTS* Consumer Advocate of the Year Award during the Unite4CRT Town Hall Meeting on July 28th.
That masked man in the photo, surprising Jenny while she was hosting the town hall online, is Ride CEO Tom Hetzel. Jenny’s mother, Barb, joined in.
A sports producer and huge Colorado Rockies fan, you may have seen Jenny modeling in some of Ride’s photography over the years or lobbying on Capitol Hill. She uses a Ride Custom Cushion and Back to support her active lifestyle.
Jenny helped to form the advocacy coalition, Unite4CRT, and has been a driving force in planning the monthly town hall meeting topics and discussions. As host of the meetings, Jenny’s warm and welcoming personality encourages discussion among a diverse audience.
The group’s mission is to bridge the gap between the perception and the reality of living with a disability. Consider joining their next meeting… information on registering to attend (free) is here.
*NRRTS is the National Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers
For your reference in advocating for protecting access to equipment for all CRT users, this guide was developed by NRRTS and their CRT user coalition, Unite4CRT. Be sure to contact your member of Congress to ensure that they understand how important CRT is to the independence and health of wheelchair users. Tell your story to bring it home.
The 25th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 2015 highlighted the continued need to fulfill the promise of that legislation.
Check out this video to review how important it is that Congress and other policy makers take action to protect, not compromise, access to CRT for those who rely on it.
CRT users are leading the way in efforts to get vital legislation passed that will protect Complex Rehab Technology. Recognizing the need for CRT users to be at the center of advocacy efforts, the new initiative #Unite4CRT was formed.
Led by Kyle Romano, Bobbi Kay Lewis, and Jenny Siegle, #Unite4CRT is asking everyone to join in the first of a series of online meetings. During this session, you’ll be provided with the tools to confidently and comfortably portray CRT’s vital role.
Jenny Siegle was awarded the 
