The Junior Sioux Wheelers finished second at the Junior Division NIT national tournament in Louisville, KY, for the second year in a row.  The Wheelers earned an opening round win with a 43-29 win over the St Louis Jr Rolling Rams on Thursday, April 3rd.  The Wheelers picked up a second-round win, also on Thursday, 36-26 over the Music City Thunder.  On Friday, April 4th, the Wheelers won their semi-final game over BORP Jr Road Warriors 48-37 to earn a trip to the Junior Division NIT champion game for the second year in a row.  However, the Rockford Jr Chariots defeated the Wheelers on Saturday, April 5th, for the championship.

Michael Mitchell of Dell Rapids was awarded a 1st Team All-Tournament selection and All-Tournament Academic Team.  Mitchell also was awarded a $1,000 tournament academic scholarship and a new wheelchair.

Photo courtesy of Peggy Anderson/Jr Sioux Wheelers

The Sioux Falls Junior Wheelers wheelchair basketball team, made up of youth with lower extremity conditions (spina bifida, childhood cancer, cerebral palsy, spinal injuries, and other conditions that impact motor skills) that limit their opportunities to participate in standard athletics, have qualified for the national tournament for the first time in 12 years.  The tournament is being held April 17-22 in Louisville, KY.  The kids have worked very hard, and going to Nationals would create lifelong memories and also give them a chance to connect with other youth facing the same challenges they do.  Several of the players come from families that do not have the financial resources to travel to the tournament on their own.  Right now the team needs help raising funds to send the team to the national tournament.  The goal is to be able to fund a bus, hotel accommodations, and meals for the team and their families.  The goal is to raise $12,000 by April 15th.

Jon and Andrew of the Junior Wheelers

The Junior Wheelers have a connection to Dell Rapids.  Jon Anderson, born with spina bifida, is a member of the team and a senior this year.  Mike Mitchell and Hunter Gronli, both from Dell Rapids, are juniors on the team as well.  The youngest Junior Wheeler is Andrew at 7 1/2.  Andrew was recently named the Wheelers conference tournament MVP.

If you would like to make a donation to the Sioux Falls Junior Wheelers, checks can be made out to Junior Sioux Wheelers and sent to:
Junior Sioux Wheelers
c/o Rod Anderson
47148 240^th St
Dell Rapids SD   57022

The Jr. Sioux Wheelers were in Dell Rapids Sunday afternoon for a fundraising event at the Dell Rapids High School.  The Jr. Sioux Wheelers, for players under the age of 21, began in 1987.  Their mission is to “offer an equal opportunity to participate in athletics to individuals with lower extremity disabilities due to injury or congenital condition.”  Before coming to Dell Rapids, the team recently competed in Vermillion, SD and finished in fourth place competing against teams from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska.

The Jr. Sioux Wheelers brought a roster consisting of players from Sioux Falls, Mt. Lake, MN and 3 players from Dell Rapids…Hunter Gronli, Jon Anderson, and Michael Mitchel.  The team played against four “teams” of players from Dell Rapids in each of the four quarters.  In the first quarter, they faced “The Senior Spinners”, a team of 2012 Dell Rapids High School Seniors.  “The Senior Spinners” consisted of Tanner Munk, Zach Barber, Brianna Davis, Paige Bunkers, Channing Barber, Laine Mitchell, Chad Munk, Weston Hansen and Hunter White.  The second quarter team was the “The Hot Wheels”, Wheelers friends and family, Kyler Anderson, Chrystina Anderson, Brian Gronli ,Dave Mitchell, Caleb Kirshenmann, Makaela Stofferahn, Sydney Stofferahn, Michael Hauschildt, and Rod Anderson.  The third quarter team was “The Rocks (that don’t roll),” representing local businesses, Mike Kahler, Dan Ahlers, Taylor Huska, Greg Schwebach, Justin Wyland, Patrick Pate, and Ron Visser.  The final team to take on the Wheelers in the fourth quarter was “The Flat Tires”, representing Dell Rapids teachers and coaches, Jeff Welbig, Julie Barber, Steve Hegge, Mick Hoglund, Mike Putnam, Scott Headrick, Ashley Brockhause, Steve Hansen, Craig Jorgensen, Doug Fiedler, and Jeff Dvorak.

The fundraising event provided many raffles throughout each quarter and at the end of the game.  All of the proceeds from the game went to benefit the Sioux Wheelers Sports Program.