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When Ashtyn Harris ’24 first sat down in a wheelchair to play basketball against the Tampa Bay Strong Dogs, a wheelchair basketball team, Tuesday night, she didn’t know what she was getting herself into.

Spartans enrolled in Physical Education and Fitness for Special Populations, along with members of the Brother to Brother and Sister to Sister organizations, participated in All Access Hoops on the Riseman outdoor basketball courts.

The event was held in partnership between the Department of Health Sciences and Human Performance, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, other campus departments and the Strong Dogs. It pitted the students, none of them wheelchair users, against the Strong Dogs, a competitive team of adults with permanent physical disabilities.

During the warmups, Harris was nervous and only made one shot.

As the night went on, though, she improved, scoring a few points and assists.

“I was honestly shocked at how fast-paced and aggressive they were playing,” she said. “I was mostly just terrified of tipping over or falling out of the chair, like some athletes did.”

Jason Rabe, visiting assistant professor of HSHP, said the event was designed to build interest in adaptive sports at UTampa. “This experience gives UTampa students the opportunity to connect with community members who have disabilities and participate in a game that is accommodated to ensure all people are included,” he said.

Harris said playing was a lot harder than the Strong Dogs made it look, noting the core and upper body strength it requires to make shots from all over the court.

“It was such an awakening experience and helped me learn a lot about adaptive sports within the disabled community,” Harris said.

She believes the experience will help her in the future in her role as a physical therapist.

Rabe began teaching the course, which explores various disabilities and how to include individuals with unique needs into activities, in Fall 2021. Each semester, he has students participate in wheelchair basketball then submit a written reflection based on the experience and interactions with the athletes.

“I noticed the impact on students was significant in changing perceptions and confirming for many their desire to work with individuals with unique needs. Also, the interest to continue playing wheelchair basketball,” Rabe said.

Captain of the Tampa Bay Strong Dogs, Carlos Quintanilla, said bringing the event to The University of Tampa campus was extremely meaningful, and witnessing the students experience the sport firsthand was “powerful.”

The students “played with enthusiasm, determination and a willingness to embrace a new challenge,” he said. “While their skills were still developing compared to our seasoned Tampa Bay Strong Dogs players, the effort and heart they put into the game was truly inspiring.”

Overall, Quintanilla said the event was about more than competition but also about connection, understanding and overcoming obstacles together.