University High School senior looks to bring adaptive sports into West Virginia schools

WESTOVER, W.Va. (WBOY) — More than 170 students at Westwood Middle School were able to try out an adaptive sport during their physical education classes this week.

Indigo Bruehwiler, a senior at University High School, has been playing wheelchair basketball since 2018. Bruehwiler was born without a fibula and had 30 surgeries by the time she was 13. After she was approached by her future teammate’s parents, she decided to give wheelchair basketball a try. It was her experience being around other people with disabilities that led her to decide to amputate her leg in 2021.

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“Having wheelchair basketball connected me with all these kids that are my age that had disabilities, and it allowed me to accept my own and prove to myself that I don’t need to have two feet to be here and be worth it, I guess,” Bruehwiler said. “And so, that really helped me come to terms that I’m just as whole, while missing part of me.”

Now Bruehwiler’s mission is to make adaptive sports like wheelchair basketball accessible to all students. Currently, she is working to bring the sport to the P.E. curriculum in Monongalia County.

“Adaptive sports exist everywhere, and there’s not one way to adapt a physical activity for kids with disabilities. But just to include everyone together is really, really important for me,” Bruehwiler said.

Bruehwiler was able to borrow 16 wheelchairs from WVU to bring into schools. While wheelchair basketball is very similar to standing basketball, she taught students basics such as maneuvering, dribbling and shooting in a wheelchair.

Katrina Cimorelli, the principal at Westwood Middle School, spoke with 12 News about her students’ response to trying out a new sport.

“The kids were talking about how excited they were to come to P.E. because they had a special guest, and they were going to learn about wheelchair basketball and get an opportunity to play and try it out,” Cimorelli said. “I think that excitement can transfer into other areas where we are showing the abilities that all of the students have and learning to form an empathy with students.”

Bruehwiler hopes that implementing adaptive sports into schools will help erase the stigma that those with disabilities are unable to be athletic and competitive. She is also excited to make sure able-bodied students know that adaptive can be fun as well.

Next week, students at University High School will be able to try out wheelchair basketball during their homeroom and free periods.