About
The Wollongong Roller Hawks is a sports club based in Wollongong, Australia. They compete in the National Wheelchair Basketball League (NWBL) and have a strong history in the sport.
The club was founded in 2001 and became the first regional team to play in the NWBL. While many of the athletes who play in the league are Australian representatives and/or Paralympians, they are not professional athletes like their able-bodied counterparts in the NBL.
The Roller Hawks play their home games at the Shellharbour City Stadium, which is known as the No 1 sporting facility for disability sport in the country. They also use the Snake Pit, Beaton Park, which is the spiritual home of Illawarra basketball. The Shellharbour City Stadium has hosted international fixtures and even a Paralympic qualifying tournament.
The Roller Hawks are affiliated with the National Wheelchair Basketball League and the state-based Wheelchair Sport Association. The club is administered by a volunteer management committee, which includes members of the community as well as representatives from the team's coaching and playing staff.
The team is primarily composed of players from the local area, with the addition of players from New Zealand and occasionally an import player. The NWBL allows teams to have one import player on their roster each year, but the Roller Hawks and many other clubs have shifted their focus to developing local talent. The skill level of the athletes has significantly increased, and Australia now has a strong international profile in wheelchair basketball.
The Roller Hawks have a proud history and have achieved success in the NWBL. They are a respected and competitive team in the league and continue to strive for excellence in wheelchair basketball.
