The Canadian team, which has already qualified for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, will be practicing at Guildford Recreation Centre in Vancouver, and then heading to the Good Luck Beijing International Invitational, running January 20-25 in Beijing, China.

“The opportunity to play and train at the venues where we will compete in the 2008 Paralympics is a very important part of our preparation. This is a key step on the road to our goal [of winning gold],” said head coach Mike Frogley. “We are really looking forward to going to China and testing our skills against some of the best teams in the world.”

The tournament is being held at the recently completed National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China. The building is shaped like an unfolded fan, reflecting a combination of traditional and modern architecture.

“We are happy to be given an opportunity to compete at the same Games venue as this year’s Paralympics. Not many teams will be given that chance,” said head associate coach Jerry Tonello. “Getting a sense for the Chinese culture and environment will also help immensely with our preparation in defence of our Paralympic gold this September.”

China, Australia, the Netherlands and Canada are competing in the men’s division at the Good Luck Beijing tournament. Several members of the Canadian team are from British Columbia, including Richard Peter and Robert Hedges.

Canada qualified for the 2008 Paralympic Games by winning silver at the 2007 Parapanamerican Games in August in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In Rio, Canada lost a tight game 52-50 to the United States in the final.

However, Canada heads into the 2008 Paralympic Games as the number one seed by virtue of its status as the reigning world champion. Canada won gold at both the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games and the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games.

“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,” said Debbie Low, the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s 2008 Beijing Games Chef de Mission. “Canada’s participation in the Good Luck Beijing tournament is a key step in our preparation for the Paralympic Games – the premiere multi-sport competition for people with a physical disability.”

She added, “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 number of countries fielding delegations to the Paralympic Games has increased rapidly, growing from 125 countries in Sydney 2000 to 136 in Athens 2004, and more than 140 countries are expected in Beijing.”

The Beijing Paralympic Summer Games run from September 6-17, 2008 in China.

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
David Durepos (Fredericton, NB/Charters Settlement, NB)
David Eng (Montreal, QC/Montreal, QC)
Abdi Fatah (Somalia, Africa/Scarborough, ON)
Robert Hedges (Fort St. John, BC/Burnaby, BC)
Joey Johnson (Winnipeg, MB/Lorette MB)
Adam Lancia (Scarborough, ON/Scarborough, ON)
Ross Norton (Calgary, AB/Edmonton, AB)
Richard Peter (Duncan, BC/Vancouver, BC)
Richard Poon (Vancouver, BC/Vancouver, BC)
Yvon Rouillard (Montreal, QC/Ste-Anne-des-Plaines, QC)
Corey Smith (Ottawa, ON/Nepean, ON)
Chris Stoutenburg (Collingwood, ON/Collingwood, ON)

Coaches
Jerry Tonello, associate head coach
Darrell Nordell, assistant coach
Jamie Peers, assistant coach
James Laskin, physiotherapist
Jeff Dunbrack, team manager