By James Crook

Wheelchair Basketball Canada will launch their academy next weekSeptember 24 - Wheelchair Basketball Canada (WBC) are set to launch their academy- the first of its kind in the world- next Tuesday (October 1) at the University of Toronto Scarborough.

The academy will be the first to offer a year-round full-time training environment for high performance wheelchair basketball players with the hope of retaining Canada's place as one of the world's leading nations for the sport.

"It is a homegrown solution designed to train the next generation of elite athletes in their pursuit of gold at future world championships and Paralympic Games, including the 2014 Women's World Championship in Toronto, the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games, the Rio 2016 Paralympic Summer Games and beyond," said the WBC.

The academy will be led by wheelchair basketball legend Mike Frogley, who will serve as head coach and academy director.

Wheelchair Basketball Canada hope that the academy will see Canada remain as one of the top nations for the sportWheelchair Basketball Canada hope that the academy will see Canada remain as one of the top nations for the sport

Frogley will be in attendance as the academy launches next month, along with minister of state for sport Bal Gosal, Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) chief executive Karen O'Neill and WBC executive director Wendy Gittens among others.

"The Academy is unique in that, really for the first time ever, it links everything together." said Frogley.

"I am excited to enter a situation where I can literally have an impact on everybody in Canada who is involved in wheelchair basketball.

"Every athlete, coach, official, and facilitator is touched in some way by the high performance programme.

"Some individuals will go through the programme and contribute to the future success of the national teams, other individuals will go back to their communities with new skills and leadership that will contribute to the growth of the game as a whole."

Canada have medalled at the last six Paralympic Games in wheelchair basketball, including a gold medal at London 2012.

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Wheelchair basketball legend set to lead groundbreaking Canadian academy