Written by: Angie, Parent to Parent Coordinator
Deven Riffle is a 17-year-old bright, entrepreneurial young man who created Blue Mountain Able Heroes to provide a fun inclusive space for people with and without physical disabilities to play sports, make friends and give back to the community. This idea came to Deven one day and he happened to share it with Brian Duke, (who is a Physical Therapist at Providence) when Deven met with Brian to get measured for a new wheelchair. Deven calls it random luck because Brian used to volunteer with Parasport in Spokane before moving to Walla Walla. Deven, who is a wheelchair user, wanted to create something where there is a sense of belonging for all. Deven tried other avenues for sports such as Challenger Baseball, but being the only wheelchair user, he felt like the odd man out and felt alone. Deven and Brian put their heads together and brought parasport from Spokane to Walla Walla for a couple of wheelchair basketball events. There was a great turnout and it was fun for all, but it was not feasible for parasport to keep coming all this way and there was a lack of gym space in our area. That did not deter Deven and Brian. Deven went to work making connections in the community, forming the Blue Mountain Able Heroes, and securing gym space through the end of the year. Brian secured insurance and grants through Providence.
What is wheelchair basketball? It is just like basketball but played in a sports chair and is for people who are in or out of a wheelchair. It is free and open to all ages and ability types. Practices are on Wednesday at the YMCA from 5:00-6:30 PM. Wheelchairs are provided. When asked about misconceptions that people may have about others in a wheelchair or with other physical disabilities, Deven shared that he has been doubted and told he couldn’t do this or that, discriminated against, and threatened. He has not let that stop him. He shows people that he can and will do what he puts his mind to. He wants others who have been doubted or discriminated against to know that you can’t let the judgement of others stop you from pursuing your dreams just because you are different. Don’t stand on the sidelines expecting someone to do it for you, take initiative and make a change.
Deven would like to turn the Blue Mountain Able Heroes into a nonprofit and build on wheelchair basketball to include other sports like sled hockey. He hopes to use this to give back to charities as this is very important to Deven as he has been driven his whole life to give back and is currently giving gift bags filled with socks and other goodies to the homeless. They are working on securing a permanent gym space, funding for more sports chairs for children and adults, and a space to store these chairs. I had the opportunity to play a little wheelchair basketball and it was so fun. You get to bump into each other’s chairs to block and try to dribble and shoot. I got quite the workout and had the best time. Thank you, Deven, for bringing this to Walla Walla and letting me play wheelchair basketball with you. I encourage each of you to check this fun sport out at the YMCA on Wednesday from 5:00-6:30 PM. If you are inspired to give resources or a gym space to Blue Mountain Able Heroes, reach out to WWVDN and we can get you in contact with Deven Riffle.
