Rochelle junior and Paralympic athlete Aubrey Headon has earned numerous accolades across several seasons for her achievements in athletics including swimming and track. Headon also competed with the Lady Hubs bowling program this winter alongside her sister Autumn, but Headon’s most recent athletic accomplishment stemmed from wheelchair basketball, a sport Headon has played for nearly her entire life.

Inspired by Olympic and Paralympic athlete Scot Hollonbeck who grew up in Rochelle and attended Rochelle Township High School, Headon began playing wheelchair basketball competitively when she joined up with the Rockford Junior Chariots in 2006. She spent two years with the team before taking some time off in 2008 to focus on her track and field events.

Headon recently reunited with her Chariot teammates, however, and the Rockford squad took the court at the 2018 IHSA Wheelchair Basketball State Championships this past weekend. Despite losing their first four games, Headon and the Junior Chariots ended the state tournament strong, defeating the LWSRA Hawks 31-26 to claim third place.

“It was awesome,” Headon said. “We only had about four high school players and it was fun playing against ranked teams that are going to Nationals this year… It’s been a long time since I’ve played with them… Rockford’s taken third before, but I’ve never been on a team that’s gone to state for wheelchair basketball and won.”

Wheelchair basketball is Headon’s second-favorite sport behind track and field. Although certain rules differ from traditional basketball, such as no double-dribble, carry or traveling calls, Headon said that similar teamwork and shooting skills are necessary. Wheelchair players shoot at 10-foot rims and use traditional-sized basketballs, and the basics of basketball including passing, communication and defense are essential to winning games.

“The aspect of playing a sport and having the ability to be good at something as opposed to playing regular basketball and not being as fast as everybody else is nice,” Headon said. “I can play and keep up with the other athletes in wheelchair basketball and possibly earn a college scholarship for disabled sports.”

While wheelchair basketball may not rank at the top of Headon’s list of favorite sports, she said that competing in other sports allow her to remain in peak physical condition when she takes the court. Wheelchair basketball games and tournaments occur throughout the school year, but Headon remains ready to play whenever her name is called.

“Wheelchair basketball builds up my arm muscles,” Headon said. “Running, swimming and playing wheelchair basketball condition you in three different ways.”