COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 2010 Winter Paralympics begin March 12 in Vancouver, but in Denver this weekend, there are Summer Paralympic hopefuls beginning their march toward the London Games in 2012.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team will play teams from Brazil and Canada on March 6-8 at the Parapan American Championships. The tournament will be part of the Colorado Crossroads tournament at the Colorado Convention Center.
The tournament is the teams’ first step toward the 2010 Sitting Volleyball World Championships on July 11-18 at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla. The top three teams at the World Championships will qualify for the 2012 Paralympics in London.
“I can’t wait until Worlds,” said Allison Aldrich (Schuyler, Neb.) of the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team and a two-time Paralympic medalist. “I want to know that we’ve qualified.”
Because they are hosting the World Championships, the U.S. teams have automatically qualified. However, Brazil and Canada will be fighting to qualify for the tournament as the winners will get to go to Edmond. If a U.S. team wins, then the second-place team will qualify.
Complete release is posted at http://usavolleyball.org/news/article/34339.
Schedule:
Saturday, March 6 (All times MST)
9 a.m. Canada vs. Brazil (women)
4 p.m. USA vs. Brazil (women)
Sunday
9 a.m. Canada vs. USA (women)
3 p.m. 2nd place vs. 3rd place (women)
Monday
10 a.m. 1st place vs. 3 p.m. winner (women)
U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team
Allison Aldrich (Schuyler, Neb.)
Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, N.C.)
Michelle Gerlosky (Griffin, Ga.)
Alex Gouldie (St. Paul, Neb.)
Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash.)
Kaleo Kanahele (Edmond, Okla.)
Kendra Lancaster (Westfield, Ind.)
Gina McWilliams (The Colony, Texas)
Nichole Millage (Champaign, Ill.)
Kari Miller (Washington, D.C.)
Lora Webster (Cave Creek, Ariz.)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter (Bethany, Okla.)
Assistant Coach: Edgar Miraku (Elbasan, Albania)
Team Leader: Dixie Collins (Marshall, Va.)
