Erica Gavel has set her sights on the 2016 Olympic games as a wheelchair basketball player.

After undergoing three knee surgeries during her time with the Huskies women’s basketball team, Erica Gavel thought her basketball career might be over for good.

Gavel did not want to accept that she may have to walk away from the sport she loved, even as her return to court continued to seem less and less likely. This is when she thought to pursue a different type of basketball: wheelchair basketball.

“After I realized what was going on [with my injuries], I came up with an idea to contact the people from wheelchair basketball and maybe give it a try,” Gavel said. “It was the only thing I could actually do because I was still on crutches.”

Gavel had started planning for a future that didn’t involve basketball, but something just didn’t fit.

“At the end of November I got really depressed in terms of not being able to play basketball and train with my team,” she said.

Gavel decided to attend a wheelchair basketball practice to see what it was like. Afterward, she was invited to join the team at an upcoming tournament. She also found out at the tournament she was eligible to play wheelchair basketball.

To be able to play wheelchair basketball, a player must be classed according to their disability. Classification in wheelchair basketball ranges from 1 point to 4.5 point, with higher point values corresponding to greater functional ability. Gavel is classed as a 4.5 point player, meaning that she has the least disability on court while still being eligible to play and compete in tournaments at all levels both nationally and abroad.

After finding out she was eligible to play Gavel began practicing twice a day, six days a week. Gavel improved quickly and credits her strong basketball background with helping to ease her transition to wheelchair basketball.

Gavel was invited to travel to Alabama with the senior women’s national wheelchair basketball team. It was here that she caught the eye of the Alabama wheelchair basketball team’s head coach, who later invited her to attend the University of Alabama for the 2013-14 academic year on a full scholarship playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Gavel plans to finish her kinesiology degree after transferring to the southern campus next year. Although Gavel knows this is a great opportunity, leaving the Huskies is not something she is looking forward to.

“As much as I was injured, it was hands-down the best four years of my life. I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Gavel said about her time with the squad. “I definitely learnt a lot about myself in terms of how to overcome adversity and focus more on the present and things you can control versus just focusing on the outcome”.

Gavel credits those around her with helping her make the transition to wheelchair basketball and from the University of Saskatchewan to the University of Alabama. It was hard for Gavel to leave the Huskies team, but the support she received from coaches, teammates and trainers made it possible.

“I could never pay any of them back for what they’ve done for me,” Gavel said.

Gavel is currently playing for the senior women’s national wheelchair basketball team, which will soon be heading to Europe for two weeks. The team will play in England, Germany and Amsterdam.

Gavel hopes this tour will help her prepare for her next goal — making the 2016 Olympic team.

“My first semester, I thought I was done sports for the rest of my life. Second semester, I’m told I have an opportunity to go to the Olympics. It’s definitely been a very emotional year,” she said.

Gavel may have a big goal in mind, but she is careful not to look too far ahead.

“I know if I keep working hard… I’ll be in a good position and I’ll have a good opportunity [to make the team],” Gavel said.

If this year has taught Gavel one thing, it’s to be ready for anything.

“I don’t make plans anymore. You never know what can happen.”

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Photo: Wheelchair Basketball Canada