Willsie was a semi-pro baseball player and a cross-country runner before being left quadriplegic following a recreational hockey game in 1995.[2] While recovering in the hospital, Willsie was recruited by a local coach from Strathroy to play para-rugby.[4] At the time, he was not interested in wheelchair sports because he felt that they were more of a "consolation" sport. However, after visiting a local wheelchair rugby group and seeing their intensity, he chose to pursue the sport.[5] Following this, he started playing wheelchair rugby with the London Annihilators in 1997 and made the Ontario team in 1998.[3] He officially joined the Canadian National Wheelchair Rugby team in 1999.[6]
Careeredit
Upon qualifying for the Canadian National Wheelchair Rugby team, Willsie made his Paralympic Games debut in 2000. The team came in fourth and it was the first international showing where the team did not medal.[3] During the competition, he served as co-captain.[7] He remained as captain for the 2004 Summer Paralympics, where he won a silver medal.[8] The teams' experience during the Games were captured in the documentary Murderball which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.[9][10] Willsie returned to Team Canada for the 2008 Summer Paralympics where he helped them win a bronze medal.[11]
As a result of his athletic achievements, Willsie's hometown recreation centre included a purpose-built training facility for use by Willsie and his team.[12] After winning another silver medal at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, Willsie was the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.[2] After Canada failed to medal in the 2016 Summer Paralympics, Willsie retired from competing but accepted an assistant coaching position with the national team.[13][14] In 2017, Willsie and Garett Hickling became the first ever rugby players to have their jerseys retired by the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association.[15]
Referencesedit
^ ab"David Willsie". paralympic.ca. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^ abcBunnell, Eric (June 26, 2013). "Belmont's Dave Willsie adds Diamond Jubilee medal to his already large collection". St. Thomas Times Journal. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^ abc"DAVID WILSIE". athletescan.com. AthletesCAN. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^"New season, tournaments and more". londonsportsxpress.ca. London SportsXpress. November 1, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^"DAVE WILLSIE — LIFE FROM SPORT" (PDF). sciontario.org. 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^Kingston, Gary (June 20, 2012). "Wheelchair rugby - a.k.a. Murderball". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved May 22, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
^"Get Pumped for the Paralympics!". abilities.ca. 2004. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^"Ontario honours its Olympic and Paralympic athletes". ontario.ca. October 27, 2004. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^Spencer, Donna (September 4, 2012). "Murderball still resonates for Canada's Paralympic rugby squad". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^Van Brenk, Debora (January 22, 2014). "Intensity level hard to beat". London Free Press. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^"Wheelchair Rugby". paralympic.org. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^Van Brenk, Donna (August 14, 2016). "Canada's murderball team will do its final training camp in Dorchester Sept. 1-5". London Free Press. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^"Dave Willsie Named as National Wheelchair Rugby Assistant Coach". onpara.ca. February 28, 2017. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^"WHEELCHAIR RUGBY'S DAVID WILLSIE MAKES NATURAL TRANSITION INTO COACHING". paralympic.ca. September 1, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^"London Annihilators Wheelchair Rugby". londonsportsxpress.ca. September 2, 2017. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
david, willsie, born, march, 1968, canadian, coach, former, wheelchair, rugby, player, date, birth, 1968, march, 1968, place, birthdorchester, ontario, canadarugby, union, careersenior, careeryearsteamapps, points, 1997london, annihilators, medal, record, whee. David Willsie born March 28 1968 is a Canadian coach and former Wheelchair rugby player David WillsieDate of birth 1968 03 28 March 28 1968 age 56 Place of birthDorchester Ontario CanadaRugby union careerSenior careerYearsTeamApps Points 1997London Annihilators Medal record Men s wheelchair rugbyRepresenting CanadaParalympic Games2004 Athens Team competition2008 Beijing Team competition2012 London Team competition Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 References 4 External linksEarly life editWillsie was born on March 28 1968 in Dorchester Ontario Canada 1 to parents John and Jean 2 His father was an international ice hockey referee and his cousin Brian Willsie played in the National Hockey League 1 Willsie was born and raised in London Ontario and earned a marketing diploma from Fanshawe College 3 Willsie was a semi pro baseball player and a cross country runner before being left quadriplegic following a recreational hockey game in 1995 2 While recovering in the hospital Willsie was recruited by a local coach from Strathroy to play para rugby 4 At the time he was not interested in wheelchair sports because he felt that they were more of a consolation sport However after visiting a local wheelchair rugby group and seeing their intensity he chose to pursue the sport 5 Following this he started playing wheelchair rugby with the London Annihilators in 1997 and made the Ontario team in 1998 3 He officially joined the Canadian National Wheelchair Rugby team in 1999 6 Career editUpon qualifying for the Canadian National Wheelchair Rugby team Willsie made his Paralympic Games debut in 2000 The team came in fourth and it was the first international showing where the team did not medal 3 During the competition he served as co captain 7 He remained as captain for the 2004 Summer Paralympics where he won a silver medal 8 The teams experience during the Games were captured in the documentary Murderball which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature 9 10 Willsie returned to Team Canada for the 2008 Summer Paralympics where he helped them win a bronze medal 11 As a result of his athletic achievements Willsie s hometown recreation centre included a purpose built training facility for use by Willsie and his team 12 After winning another silver medal at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Willsie was the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal 2 After Canada failed to medal in the 2016 Summer Paralympics Willsie retired from competing but accepted an assistant coaching position with the national team 13 14 In 2017 Willsie and Garett Hickling became the first ever rugby players to have their jerseys retired by the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association 15 References edit a b David Willsie paralympic ca Retrieved May 22 2021 a b c Bunnell Eric June 26 2013 Belmont s Dave Willsie adds Diamond Jubilee medal to his already large collection St Thomas Times Journal Retrieved May 22 2021 a b c DAVID WILSIE athletescan com AthletesCAN Retrieved May 22 2021 New season tournaments and more londonsportsxpress ca London SportsXpress November 1 2019 Retrieved May 22 2021 DAVE WILLSIE LIFE FROM SPORT PDF sciontario org 2020 Retrieved May 22 2021 Kingston Gary June 20 2012 Wheelchair rugby a k a Murderball The Vancouver Sun Retrieved May 22 2021 via newspapers com Get Pumped for the Paralympics abilities ca 2004 Retrieved May 22 2021 Ontario honours its Olympic and Paralympic athletes ontario ca October 27 2004 Retrieved May 22 2021 Spencer Donna September 4 2012 Murderball still resonates for Canada s Paralympic rugby squad The Globe and Mail Retrieved May 22 2021 Van Brenk Debora January 22 2014 Intensity level hard to beat London Free Press Retrieved May 22 2021 Wheelchair Rugby paralympic org Retrieved May 22 2021 Van Brenk Donna August 14 2016 Canada s murderball team will do its final training camp in Dorchester Sept 1 5 London Free Press Retrieved May 22 2021 Dave Willsie Named as National Wheelchair Rugby Assistant Coach onpara ca February 28 2017 Retrieved May 22 2021 WHEELCHAIR RUGBY S DAVID WILLSIE MAKES NATURAL TRANSITION INTO COACHING paralympic ca September 1 2020 Retrieved May 22 2021 London Annihilators Wheelchair Rugby londonsportsxpress ca September 2 2017 Retrieved May 22 2021 External links editDavid Willsie at the Canadian Paralympic Committee David Willsie at the International Paralympic Committee Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title David Willsie amp oldid 1181101826, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
