Playing with a purpose: The RHI Racers
- Caleb Denorme
- Apr 29
- 13 min read
Wheelchair basketball in the Hoosier state
CALEB DENORME | BUTLER CAPSTONE | cdenorme@butler.edu
In 49 states it’s just basketball.
In Indiana though, basketball is engrained in every Hoosier as religion. From Evansville up to South Bend, basketball-hysteria coats the state and its residents.
That feeling runs through every Hoosier’s blood. While fans from around the state support Purdue, Indiana University or Butler, there is another team in Indiana shining on the national stage.
The RHI Racers, Indiana’s only wheelchair basketball team, is ranked second in the nation and competes in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association [NWBA]. With players traveling from all over the state and region to play together, the Racers set the standard for excellence in this state’s basketball economy.
Led from the sidelines by head coach Tanner Hall and on the court by players such as Lyjah Cox and Cole Connelley, RHI is a powerhouse within the NWBA ranks. All the accolades on the court would not have been made possible without the work of people like Karen Lawrence – the Director of RHI Sports – who makes sure the team has the facilities and funds to compete.
The adaptive sports program at RHI is full of people doing extraordinary things. Together, they make up a part of the RHI Racers, a devoted team that brings excellence on the court and beyond.
The Coach
He couldn’t stop in time.
Tanner Hall still does not have a perfect memory about what happened that fateful day when he was 15. He remembers cruising on his dirt bike at speeds upwards of 70 miles an hour with some friends on the second-to-last day of school before summer break.
Hall began climbing over a hill but was unable to see the remaining debris from a demolished bridge at the bottom of the other side. In the next few moments, his life changed.
“I started trying to stop,” Hall said. “There just wasn’t enough time to stop. Then I guess I got launched off into it headfirst [and] then I remember waking up off and on.”
Hall’s first thought did not go towards his own health, how he could not feel pain or the adrenaline coursing through his body. Instead, he was more worried about the condition of the dirt bike he was riding.
“I remember, I asked the medics or somebody at some points ‘how’s my bike?’,” Hall said. “And they [said], ‘don’t worry about that’. I told them, ‘My dad’s going to kill me’.”
After an airlift to the hospital, multiple days falling in and out of consciousness and surgery, Hall learned he had a T4 spinal cord injury that put him in a wheelchair. After being discharged from the hospital a week later, he began therapy at the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana (RHI).
Adjusting to life after his accident was more difficult than Hall thought. He had therapy twice a day, relearning how to move and operate in day-in and day-out life. Through the pain and the hardships, Hall was out of RHI in a month – a much shorter time frame than many of the patients at the hospital. Upon his release from the hospital, Hall went to get measured for a wheelchair. In that moment, a worker planted a seed in Hall’s mind that would change the path of his life.
It turns out that the wheelchair representative that helped Hall was the coach for the RHI Racers, the hospital’s adaptive wheelchair basketball team. The Racers compete in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association’s [NWBA] varsity and prep divisions, giving kids the opportunity to compete with wheelchair basketball teams around the nation.
"And then for a minute, it just took the disability away."
Hall did not join right away; in fact, he took a year until he finally decided to go to a practice. That first leap of faith – spurred on by his mother – sent Hall down a path that would change his life.
“I was hesitant to go,” Hall said. “I showed up kind of in shock. When I got there [and] in a sports chair, it [was] different. And then for a minute, it just took the disability away.”
His step of faith into the unknown had given him new passion, but it was one that required work. During his junior and senior year of high school, Hall picked up the sport and performed well enough to be recruited by colleges that had wheelchair basketball programs. In the end, the sport his mom convinced him to try ended up sending him to Southwest Minnesota State University [SMSU] to play for the Mustangs.
Hall spent six seasons with SMSU before returning to Indiana. Although his college career was over, he found a new angle of the game that piqued his interest: coaching.
“I really fell in love with learning the X’s and O’s of the game,” Hall said. “I didn’t have the true athletic ability that other players had. Early on I had a roommate that was really into film, and then I got into that.”
His transition from playing into coaching was a gradual slope that began when Hall was still in college. During breaks, Hall would text Jacob Patrick, RHI’s coach at the time, to see if he could come in and stay in shape.
Upon his graduation from SMSU, Hall continued joining practices and giving input but was not yet convinced that he should coach. Once Patrick decided to step away from the team, he asked Hall to take over.
“At that time, I was only out of school [about] a year,” Hall said. “I was like, I don’t know if I’m ready for that. I knew in my mind at some point I’d like to help more, but I didn’t know if I wanted to fully commit.”
One of the problems that arose during Patrick’s exit was the possibility of the team dissolving. Without Patrick, players considered traveling to Cincinnati to play on their team. After Hall talked with the players and their families, a decision was made for all of them to commit to each other and keep the team – along with a merger with Fort Wayne’s wheelchair basketball team. After a brief moment of the Racers possibly collapsing, everyone came together to ensure that this new RHI team had a coach and six total players from both RHI and Fort Wayne.
From that moment on, Hall and RHI grew together. The Racers now have 15-20 players showing up to practice on Saturday mornings, led by the man who found his calling in a sports chair on the basketball court. The Racers are now ranked second overall in the nation and recently placed third at the National Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Virginia. The product of their play is a big testament to their head coach, but the journey and improvement is what Hall loves the most.
“I still love competing,” Hall said. “But it’s also just the growth that we’ve had the past few years. Watching the kids get better is big for me.”
Beyond the journey, Hall’s end goal is to get his players into a college program like the one at SMSU. He wants them to have the same opportunity he had, a chance to continue chasing their dreams at the next level.
“I hope they all go to college and play,” Hall said. “I know that completely changed my life at the time."
The Players
“I always wanted to play basketball with other people.”
For Lyjah Cox, growing up with spina bifida was challenging. The spinal birth defect caused him to be in a wheelchair or on forearm crutches for much of his life, making it increasingly difficult to compete in sports with other kids.
“I just couldn’t play a sport as well as everybody else could,” Cox said. “I was on forearm crutches. It just kind of ruined the mood and killed the vibe. Honestly, I was kind of jealous and I wanted to join in on these sports.”
Those feelings translated into a desire to get into athletics by whatever means necessary. When Cox’s mother pushed him to find an activity that would get him outside and around others with disabilities, he found his passion. The wheelchair basketball program at RHI was ready and waiting for him when he was just nine years old.
In any sport, the first practice of a season or career can be nerve-wracking. There are so many unknowns in the air, but for Cox, he just appreciated the opportunity to get out and participate.
“Honestly, it was nice to be able to play a sport that I could actually play,” Cox said. “My first practice was amazing. I met a lot of new people that I never would have thought to have met in my normal school and my regular life.”
Finding this new sport gave Cox a new passion to go after, but there was an adjustment period. In the early stages, Cox struggled to get the ball up to the hoop and was frustrated by the obstacles, but the RHI prep team gave him the opportunity to hone his skills.
The Racers offer two teams to field the wheelchair basketball athletes. The first is the younger age group of kids under 13, or “prep” team that allows early learners to get into the sport on the ground floor. The prep team focuses on building the skills necessary to excel on the court but also aims to get kids involved.
"I get proud looking back on what I used to be and where I am now."
In five short years, Cox graduated from the prep team and moved up to varsity. In just his first season with the varsity team, there was a mindset shift that happened in the 14-year-old’s mind. The appreciation for the sport was still there, but deep down he had a desire for more.
“I realized I wanted to be good,” Cox said. “I want to start taking this seriously. I want to use this as an outlet to pursue things and be great at something.”
His first step was transitioning from a two-handed toss to a traditional shot form with only one hand. This fundamental change required time on the hardwood perfecting his technique, but Cox also began hitting the gym. The combination of lifting and hours of technique training produced growth, only pushing Cox further.
“I airballed everything,” Cox said. “Even as close as I could, I couldn’t even hit a layup. But now, I can shoot it from half court almost. I get proud looking back on what I used to be and where I am now.”
Now, Cox’s next goal is securing a spot on a college roster when he graduates high school in a few years. Beyond that, the Paralympics are coming up in three years and Cox expects to put in the work to be on the plane to LA with the United States National Team. For now, he continues to ball out with the Racers in a sport that has fueled his passion.
“[Wheelchair basketball] gives me a purpose. When I wake up, what am I going to do with my life? What do I look forward to? That’s what I look forward to, getting and reaching that goal in wheelchair basketball. That’s my purpose.”
Another player on the Racers has already begun chipping away at goals of his own. Cole Connelley, another RHI Racer with spina bifida, recently announced his commitment to the University of Missouri to play wheelchair basketball. The Fort Wayne native began playing wheelchair basketball when he was around 12 or 13 but joined the Racers during the merger with RHI and Turnstone his sophomore year.
"If I'm feeling stressed, it gives me a purpose to work towards [and] to keep bettering myself and staying active with people I know and care about."
Turnstone is a not-for-profit organization in Fort Wayne that addresses the needs of people with disabilities and their families. Much like RHI, Turnstone has different athletic programs that allow people with disabilities to get involved and active. In Connelley’s sophomore year of high school, Turnstone decided to merge their wheelchair basketball team with RHI’s to have a big enough squad to compete.
“It was odd,” Connelley said. Going into it, it was just me and one other person from Turnstone [so] I was kind of worried at the beginning. But once we got a few practices in, it was clear that we all bonded really well. Then it grew into the mindset of ‘we can work with this and get better as a team’.”
Joining Turnstone’s and RHI’s basketball programs gave Connelley something that is undervalued in sports – a community. Players from all around the nation see each other at tournaments all the time defying the odds and competing in athletics that is ultra-competitive, but they all have each other’s backs.
“Just through basketball, it’s given me connections across the US,” Connelley said. “I have friends in Washington, Michigan, Utah, places really far away from me through basketball. So that’s given me an outlet to hear some different experiences from other people and form a lot of different bonds. It’s a big part of who I am.”
The additional social aspect allowed more formerly reserved people like Connelley to come out of his shell. Not only were the players given an avenue to compete physically, but they were also given a tight-knit community to fall back on.
“The thing about basketball is I probably wouldn’t be as social as I am now without those connections helping me over the years,” Connelley said. “It definitely helped give groundwork to go off of when talking to people, knowing that they’ve been the same places I have. Not many people can say they’ve dealt with a disability for their entire life.”
After leading his team to a third-place finish at nationals, Connelley is now off to pursue his college career. After volunteering at his local zoo throughout his time in Fort Wayne, Connelley will major in microbiology and minor in captive wild animal management. His love for animals will take priority in the classroom, but he will stay competitive as a Mizzou Tiger on the court.
“I’ve got a lot on my plate,” Connelley said. “I love the competitiveness of [wheelchair basketball]. It gives me a hobby to do. If I’m feeling stressed, it gives me a purpose to work towards [and] to keep bettering myself and staying active with people I know and care about.”
The Director and Program
Outside of the Racers, there is an entire support system at RHI dedicated to helping people with disabilities do the things they love. At the head of that system, is Director of RHI Sports Karen Lawrence.
A recreational therapist by trade, Lawrence oversees the entirety of RHI’s sports program, including the racers, other adaptive teams and camps that RHI puts on. If it was not for an internship though, the leader of RHI’s sports wing may never have found her passion.
“When I did my internship at RHI many moons ago, one of the people that I was interning under was one of the people who started the sports program,” Lawrence said. “I got on to going to the meeting there, and then learned all about the amazing things RHI sports was doing. Then, I have stayed on board ever since then.”
In a study supported by the Kelley Adaptive Sports Research Institute at Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, those who participated in adaptive sports who have a disability saw improvements in physical traits like strength and balance that improved their daily lives. On top of the physical advantages, the study also noted that participation reinforced a positive identity and gave the participants more belief in themselves.
In short, competing in adaptive athletics is an additive for the mind and body of those who participate. Lawrence saw this firsthand, using sport to help those with disabilities or traumatic injuries get back to daily life.
“It is all encompassing and getting people back to sports,” Lawrence said. “Because you have to utilize all those same things to get people doing their recreational aspects, whether it’s typing on a computer or playing cards. So, all those things [are] just getting people back to life.”
Helping others became Lawrence’s only goal when she signed on at RHI. Originally planning to do occupational therapy, Lawrence would have likely worked in a nursing home or at day programs for recreational therapists if she had not done the RHI internship. Luckily for her, she took the position at RHI and never looked back.
“[Occupational therapy] wasn’t my cup of tea,” Lawrence said. “But when I got to do the rehab aspects and being able to continue with adaptive sports, I found my passion.”
Her passion for adaptive athletics and helping others has springboarded RHI into the forefront of opportunities. RHI offers a ton of different adaptive sports for people to try. From organized teams like the Racers wheelchair basketball team, power soccer, sled hockey and beat baseball, to day camps that offer opportunities to play pickleball, waterski, golf, and snow ski, RHI caters to everyone’s dream.
To make all these adaptive sports happen though, Lawrence and RHI relies on grants and donations to keep the program running. Adaptive athletics requires highly specialized equipment that can cost much more than people think.
“[Sports chairs] can be up to $4,500 per chair,” Lawrence said. “A lot of it comes from corporate sponsors and then just individual donors.”
For example, much of the Racers’ funding comes from donations by families, friends and companies to help finance the team’s season hotels and other expenses. Lawrence is incredibly appreciative for the generosity of others and wants to keep campaigning so she and RHI can provide for every athlete’s dream. That drive to provide for her athletes is only spurred on by character of the players, coaches and parents of the Racers, and every team RHI has.
“I’m beyond thankful that we have an amazing team and coaches,” Lawrence said. “They do it voluntarily for the most part. [They] step up, understand the game and have made us such an amazing team that people are willing to drive, and the parents are willing to take their kids [on] a two-hour drive just to come to practice.”
Despite the Paralympics’ growing popularity around the globe, programs like RHI still face many challenges when it comes to funding, personnel and finding athletes. It costs approximately $150,000 to $200,000 to run RHI’s sports program every year. That money goes to give opportunities to anyone that has a dream of playing a sport, or doing an activity or an art. In the end, it is up to the kindness of others to make that happen, giving teams like the Racers chances to battle for national championships.
For Lawrence though, every hard-fought donation dollar and specialized clinic is worth it if it means she helped someone.
“Those are the warm feelings that make you wake up every day and want to do your job,” Lawrence said. “It gives them the passion, the drive to go above and beyond and be able to compete at a high level. It’s the giving back [and] the changing lives.”
"Basketball really changed my life."
From the top down, RHI and the Racers have given the entirety of Indiana something to cheer about. From every corner of the state, players, parents, coaches and friends have come together to do what many see as unfathomable. In the words of their coach, the Racers have come far from where they once were, but there is still room for growth and improvement.
“Basketball really changed my life,” Hall said. “But we’re still working on growing.”
If you would like to get involved, donate to or seek more information about the RHI sports program, please contact Karen Lawrence at karen.lawrence@rhin.com.
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