GLIDERS TO HOST GERMANY IN INTERNATIONAL SERIES AT CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
The number two ranked team in the world and silver medalists from the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Germany will offer a fantastic opportunity for the Gliders to come together for eight days of training and intense competition.
The World Championships will be held in Hamburg, Germany from August 14-27 and following this series on home soil, the Gliders will also enjoy a tour to Tokyo in early June and the USA in late June.
“This six-game series in Australia gives the Gliders another opportunity to continue to build towards World Championships success,” said head coach David Gould.
“It is a massive bonus for the Gliders to be able to host this event at the Centre of Excellence in Canberra, securing world class competition without having to travel halfway around the world.”
14 athletes have been selected for the series including developing athlete Annabelle Lindsay who will return home to Canberra after winning a national Championship in the American National Wheelchair Basketball Association while Shelley Cronau also returns from a strong season in Spain.
Veterans Shelley Chaplin and Leanne Del Toso will be joined by fellow WNWBL talent including Amber Merritt, Cobi Crispin, Clare Nott, Georgia Munro Cook, Bree Mellberg, Georgia Inglis, Sarah Vinci, Ella Sabljak and Hannah Dodd.
“In addition, a highlight for the Gliders squad will be the opportunity to see the return of experienced national campaigner Kylie Gauci,” said Gould.
“Kylie has been out injured for the last 18 months with a serious shoulder injury but will now bring lightning speed and supreme ball handling back to the point guard position for Australia.”
Another benefit of having games on home soil is that the Gliders are able to trial all 14 athletes in game situations and the six-game series will give Gould and his coaching staff plenty of opportunities to assess each player and the team as a whole.
“The coaches will be working on team structures as well as trying out different combinations and line-ups to see how they can compete and combat some of the elite competition wheelchair basketball has to offer.
“This will be a great hit out to see just where we are at, what is working and what we need to continue to work on and develop moving forward.”
The Australian Gliders Team for the International Series vs. Germany:
| SURNAME | FIRST NAME | CLASSIFICATION | STATE |
| Chaplin | Shelley | 3.5 | VIC |
| Crispin | Cobi | 4.0 | QLD |
| Cronau | Shelley | 2.5 | QLD |
| Del Toso | Leanne | 3.5 | VIC |
| Dodd | Hannah | 1.0 | QLD |
| Gauci | Kylie | 2.0 | NSW |
| Inglis | Georgia | 2.5 | WA |
| Lindsay | Annabelle | 4.5 | ACT |
| Mellberg | Bree | 3.5 | VIC |
| Merritt | Amber | 4.5 | WA |
| Munro-Cook | Georgia | 4.5 | NSW |
| Nott | Clare | 1.0 | WA |
| Sabljak | Ella | 1.0 | QLD |
| Vinci | Sarah | 1.0 | WA |
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