Wheelchair basketballers hoping to get the ball rolling in the Shoalhaven

2022 marked the first year of the Waratah Wheelchair League, with eight different teams entering into the competition from around the state.

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This weekend will see all eight teams battling it out at the Shellharbour City Stadium as the inaugural regular season of the competition hits it's climax.

Rowan Vergano from Wheelchair Sports NSW/ACT hopes that this is just the beginning and is keen to see Wheelchair sports expand into the Southern Region.

"We are continuing to try and grow and at the moment we are aiming to break into the South Coast and expand wheelchair sports throughout the region," he said.

Wheelchair Sports NSW/ACT are a non-profit organisation with over 1,200 members of all ages participating across nine different sports including, basketball, aussie rules, rugby, tennis and track & road.

The organisation works at the grassroots level all the way through to elite competition, with the aim of creating a brighter future for all those wishing to participate in the world of sport.

With the success of the Wollongong Roller Hawks who are coming off a national championship, there's hope that creating opportunities within the Shoalhaven will help to lessen the burden of travel that many participating athletes in the region face.

Mr Vergano has found the biggest challenge so far is visibility of the sport.

"The whole idea of being visible is the main goal right now," he said.

"Seeing, hearing and understanding of sport are the big things about trying to build a new sport in a new area."

He feels like this is the perfect opportunity for the sport to expand to the area with the growth it has experienced in the past twelve months.

"I want people to come down to the arena and watch on the weekend and pack out the venue," Mr Vergano said.

"I want them to see what we are trying to build as well as having a platform for people with disabilities to see what they can achieve if they wish to pick up a sport."

As of right now only one in 29 manual wheelchair users play a wheelchair sport.

"A lot of people with disabilities have been belittled for most of their lives so it's very hard for them to try and step out of their comfort zones and play a sport," Mr Vergano said.

"We are here to help develop these sports and get more people out and involved in the sporting community whatever the sport is."

"A lot of people want to try it but also aren't 100 per cent sure so we invite everyone no matter their condition to come down and try the sport to begin with," he said.

"If you enjoy the sport come back if not then that's fine we'll find something else for you to enjoy as well."

Mr Vergano said that this is just the beginning and the future of wheelchair sports in the region is only just beginning.