The training at Brock University will follow the NWBA Division 1 tournament and extensive athlete testing at the Canadian Sport Center (CSC) Ontario.

“The training camp at Brock University, the time we’ll spend at CSC Ontario and the games against the Japanese national team and the University of Illinois are going to provide a great training situation as we prepare for Beijing and the 2008 Paralympics,” said head coach Mike Frogley. “We will start the week with sports science testing at the CSC Ontario. It has been and will continue to be testing of this nature that will keep Canada among the best in the world. This is a new partnership that we hope will grow in coming years as they have some of the best training and testing facilities in Canada.”

Canada’s men’s national team is currently the world champion and is ranked number one in the world. Most recently, the team returned from the "Good Luck Beijing" International Invitational in Beijing with a gold medal after defeating Australia 55-49 in the final.

“We are looking forward to seeing our men’s wheelchair basketball team go for a third straight gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games this September,” said Debbie Low, the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s 2008 Beijing Games Chef de Mission. “Canada will have to be well prepared. The growth of the Paralympic Movement has produced increased interest and investment in Paralympic sports around the world and the competition at the Paralympic Games has intensified.”

The results of the week’s training at Brock University will be directly applied against some of the top competition in the world – the Japanese national team – and some the world’s best up-and-coming players from the University of Illinois.

"The week will end with exhibition games against two fast and energetic teams from the University of Illinois and the national team from Japan. We expect to build on our momentum that started in Beijing last week beating our arch-rivals from Australia in the finals,” said associate head coach Jerry Tonello.

The Canadian team has already qualified for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Summer Games. Many of the players vying for a spot to represent Canada next summer at the Beijing Games will be participating at this training camp and tournament at Walker Complex, Brock University.

The Canadian men’s team is looking for its third consecutive gold medal at a Paralympic Games. Canada won gold at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games and the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.

"Every chance we get to get together and train helps us get one step closer to our goal – gold at the Beijing Paralympic Games,” added Frogley.

Practice Schedule

Tuesday, Feb. 5
8 am-10 am                            Japan                            Beddis 3, 4
10 am-12 pm                         Canada                         Beddis 3, 4
12 pm-2 pm                           Japan                             Beddis 3, 4
2 pm-4:30 pm                       Canada                          Beddis 3, 4
7 pm-9 pm                             Canada                          Gym 2

Wednesday, Feb. 6
8 am-10 am                           Japan                               Beddis 3, 4
10 am-12 pm                         Canada                           Beddis 3, 4
12 pm-2 pm                           Japan                               Beddis 3, 4
2 pm-4:30 pm                        Canada                           Beddis 3, 4

Thursday, Feb. 7
1 pm-4:30 pm                        Japan                               Beddis 3, 4
8 pm-10 pm                           Canada                            Davis (tentative)

Friday, Feb. 8
10 am-12 pm                         Japan                               Beddis 3, 4
12 pm-2 pm                           Canada                            Beddis 3, 4
2 pm-4 pm                             U of Illinois                       Beddis 3, 4

Game Schedule

Friday, Feb. 8
6 pm-8 pm                             Canada v Japan              Gym 2
8 pm-10 pm                           Canada v U of Illinois     Gym 2

Saturday, Feb. 9
9 am-11 am                           U of Illinois v Japan         Beddis 1, 2
11 am-1 pm                           Canada v Japan               Beddis 1, 2
2 pm-4 pm                              Canada v U of Illinois     Gym 2
7 pm-9 pm                              Canada v Japan              Gym 2

Sunday, Feb. 10
9 am-11 am                           Japan v U of Ilinois          David

Canadian men’s team roster
**The first city in brackets is the athlete’s city of birth and the second is his current city of residence.

Players
Abdi Fatah (Somalia, Africa/Scarborough, ON)
Adam Lancia (Scarborough, ON/Scarborough, ON)
Anthony Purcell (Halifax, NS/Halifax, NS)
Bradley Bowden (Mississauga, ON/Orton, ON)
Chad Jassman (Medicine Hat, AB/Calgary AB)
Chris Stoutenburg (Collingwood, ON/Collingwood, ON)
Corey Smith (Ottawa, ON/Nepean, ON)
Dave Durepos (Fredericton, NB/Fredericton, NB)
David Eng (Montreal, QC/Montreal, QC)
John Burns (Guelph, ON/Guelph, ON)
Mickael Poulin (Ancienne-Lorrette, QC/Ancienne-Lorrette, QC)
Richard Peter (Duncan, BC/Vancouver, BC)
Richard Poon (Vancouver, BC/Vancouver, BC)
Robert Hedges (Fort St. John, BC/Wonowon, BC)
Shayne Dunnett (Fredericton, NB/Fredericton, NB)
Yvon Rouillard (Montreal, QC/Ste-Anne-des-Plaines, QC)

Coaches
Jerry Tonello, Associate Head Coach
Marc Antoine, Assistant Coach
Reggie Goodman, Assistant Coach
Jeff Dunbrack, Team Manager