In 1998, OSU Students with disabilities began a petition drive to establish a sponsored OSU wheelchair basketball team and revitalize the Adaptive Sports club. The program initiative received endorsements from students, facility, staff, and administrators. Team members were recruited and OSU was accepted as a member of the Arkansas Valley Conference (AVC) for wheelchair basketball, Competing against four other community teams from Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Muskogee and Fort Smith Arkansas. An internal base of funding support was developed for facility modifications, equipment needs, and to award a limited number of out of state tuition waiver scholarships. The equipment needs alone were significant in that one "sports chair" can cost from $1500 - $3000. In addition, OSU owns a lift equipped ADA van that is used for team travel. Finally and most importantly, OSU developed a salary budget to hire a part time graduate assistant to coordinate the program and, as the program grew, a full time coordinator (and Coach) was hired as a valued staff member of the Colvin recreation center.

Probably the most rewarding result of establishing this new program has been to witness the individual growth of student participants. Experience shows that many wheelchair-assisted students who attend OSU were injured recently and the transition in learning to cope with their disability can be traumatic. Many were excellent athletes before their accidents and it is far too easy for one to become withdrawn, self-absorbed, and isolated. By rekindling the competitive spirit, combined with the development of a support system, students typically do become more self-confident, involved in community life and successful. Like other student athletes, there is no guarantee of success… Only the "Opportunity" to succeed!