Colin Higgins: A New Brunswick Athlete’s Path to Paris

Two weeks ago we talked to Colin Higgins about his journey from Hockey to Wheelchair basketball. Now he's on the Canadian team in France. The first game of Canadian Men's wheelchair basketball is today (August 30th) at 1:05PM! We'll be watching; You can find the watch link here.

Colin Higgins on the court, Credit: Dave Holland

New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame:  What's it been like preparing for this Paralympic competition compared to other international competitions?

Colin Higgins:  Comparing it to my other Paralympic experience, it's been very different. Heading into Tokyo, we weren't able to travel or play against other teams before getting there. So, it's been a very different summer with our training camps and games against other countries. It's been good from that standpoint because you like to play against lots of people before. But, you know, there's a lot of expectations, so we'll see what happens.

NBSHF:  In April, you played against Italy. Can you describe what that trip and game were like?

CH:  In April, we were in France at the Last Chance Qualification Tournament for Paris. There were eight teams there, and the top four would qualify for Paris. We had to win the fourth game to qualify, but we had lost our first three games—one of them was by one point, a buzzer-beater, a couple of close games. So, morale wasn't exactly high, but this group's been pretty resilient over the years. We were able to find a way to play our best basketball and beat Italy, a really good team, to qualify. That was awesome to see the group come together like that.

NBSHF:  You were instrumental in that victory, right?

CH: Yeah. Since Tokyo, I've been playing a lot more, my game has improved, and the team is relying on me more. It's been a lot of fun, but we’ve got a lot of guys that can do a lot of things, so on any given day, other guys are stepping up.

NBSHF:  You were originally a hockey player. Did circumstances steer you toward wheelchair basketball after your injury, or was sledge hockey ever an option?

CH:  Yeah. My mom is a nurse, and she works with an OT who is in the wheelchair basketball world. She knew of the extent of my injuries and was after me to come give it a try. After about six months, I finally gave in and went to a practice. At my first practice, I asked, "This is great, but where's the closest sledge hockey?" But they shut that down pretty quick, and the closest one was far, so the 20-minute drive to basketball was much more appealing.

NBSHF:  Do you enjoy basketball compared to hockey, or was it a big shift in mentality for you?

CH: Even though I was a hockey player growing up, I always enjoyed basketball. Basketball was my dad's favorite sport, so it wasn’t tough for me. I didn’t think there was much contact in basketball, but it's incredibly fast and physical—not what I had envisioned at all. So, it's been good.

NBSHF:  In terms of physical conditioning, what do you do to get in shape for wheelchair basketball?

CH:  We have lifting workout plans and conditioning, but the biggest thing is just spending time in your chair. It’s just like another piece of equipment, like skates in hockey. Obviously, you can do dry land training, but there’s nothing quite like being in your skates and getting after it. So, the more time you can spend on court at a high pace against high-quality competition, that's the best you can do.

NBSHF:  What advice would you give to a young person in New Brunswick who is passionate about sports and finds themselves in a situation similar to yours after your injury?

CH:  My disability isn’t exactly visible, so I didn’t really associate with adapted athletics. My advice is to just give it a try. If you don’t like it, nothing’s stopping you from walking away, but just give it a try. There are a lot of great people involved and a lot of great sports. It can change your world for the better—it definitely has mine, and I’ve been very grateful.

NBSHF:  As you head out to Germany and then on to France, is there anything you’d like to add?

CH:  I’m very grateful for the support I’ve received from the province, my family, people in the wheelchair basketball world, and the broader sports community in New Brunswick. It's not a one-man army. There are a lot of people that have helped put me in this position, so thank you to them. It takes an army, and I’m very grateful. Hopefully, we can put on a good show for everyone in Paris.

NBSHF:  We’ll be watching and rooting for you.

CH:  Perfect. Thanks so much.