All in the family at Canada Winter Games

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This article was published 21/02/2023 (1336 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Joey Johnson has accomplished a lot on the hardwood.

Renowned for being one of the world’s best power players in wheelchair basketball during his hay day, possibly the only thing to exceed the Winnipeg product’s four medals (three gold) in the Paralympic Games and his world championship title are his inductions into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame (2016) and Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame (2013).

Indeed, Johnson has enjoyed a slew of solo accomplishments. This week at the Canada Winter Games in P.E.I, though, it’s a family affair.

Johnson is bossing the bench for Manitoba’s wheelchair basketball team with his brother Bill this week. It doesn’t stop there — his nephew (Bill’s son), Callum, is playing on the team.

“It’s unique, right?” Joey told the Free Press Tuesday. “You don’t hear many stories like that and opportunities.

“It’s special. I’ve been fortunate enough to do a lot in this sport but this is right up there. We got a great group of kids and I get to do it alongside my brother and with my nephew on the team, it’s a lot of fun.”

Things have come together hastily for the brothers, as they took over Manitoba’s Canada Games program in September, leaving them a matter of months to solidify a team and a game plan for the national event. While this will be the first time the two will head a squad together, seeing each other on the bench is far from unusual.

Bill and Joey have been tied through the sport for much of their lives, growing up playing on the same team after Joey was diagnosed with degenerative hip disease at eight years old, and coaching each other at different points. While Joey enjoyed success on the court, Bill made his impact behind the bench until 2016, when the sport fell out of favour in his life.

When Callum started playing, Bill reclaimed his spot as coach with his brother.

“It’s a really neat experience,” Bill said.

“To be at the Canada Games this year with your family — I believe firmly that life is all about experiences and who you share it with and this is a really cool thing to share with your family.”

Callum is still new to the sport, having done most of his damage on the gridiron before taking up wheelchair basketball last fall.

Like Bill when he played, Callum is one of the team’s able-bodied players. Wheelchair basketball is a fully integrated sport in Canada, meaning all athletes can compete. The sport has a classification system for players, ranging from one to 4.5 points. The five players on the court may not exceed 15 points.

As an able-bodied athlete, Callum holds a 4.5 point classification.

It’s clear the 15-year-old has inherited a few tricks of the trade from his uncle Joey as a rugged player who said he assumes the role of a power forward.

“I just thought it would be something fun to try when I first started. I only planned on doing it for fun, maybe showing up to a couple of practices. My uncle had invited me out and I thought I might as well try it and it was just a really good time,” Callum said.

Now on the national stage, Callum said having his dad and uncle by his side while competing has been a luxury that not everyone is afforded.

“It’s nice because some of the guys on my team, their parents aren’t out here. So if they have a tough day and want to talk to someone about it, they can’t do it — they have to phone their parent. But I can just go and meet my dad and talk to him. It’s nice to have people you can rely on, on this big of a stage,” Callum said.

“It’s just been a great experience. It’s nice to have people like that with you and it’s a cool experience to get to share with family. There’s no other coach in our province I’d rather have with me here.”

Manitoba faces Ontario to cap its preliminary round Wednesday. Tip-off is 9 a.m. CST.

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jfreysam