Every spring, the University of Arizona Veterans Affairs hosts “Guide to Personal Success: Ultimate Athletics Experience” camp. The program which gives disabled veterans from all over the United States the opportunity to train in athletics opportunities and help them learn ways to pursue higher education.

One of the popular athletics programs is the wheelchair basketball scrimmage and training. This program pairs the disabled veteran athletes with student athletes at the University of Arizona for training and a few games of wheelchair basketball. More photos and a short story can be found at UA News website, click here.

Wheelchairs, regular and of the sports variety, lined the sidelines during the veterans GPS sports camp at the UA Rec Center. Photograph by John de Dios/UANews

Assistant Coach Mike Beardsly pumps air into wheelchair tires and basketballs for the veterans GPS sports camp at the UA Rec Center. Photograph by John de Dios/UANews

Derrick McMillon, a veteran from Peach Tree City, Georgia, prepares to play basketball at the GPS sports camp basketball workshop at the UA Rec Center. Photograph by John de Dios/UANews

Coach Derek Brown gives all the participants of the GPS sports camp basketball workshop. Photograph by John de Dios/UANews

Fabrizio Shao, a UA freshman and pointguard for the men’s wheelchair basketball team, leads the veterans for the GPS sports camp in warm up stretches. Photograph by John de Dios/UANews

Veterans from as far as Florida took part in the veterans GPS sports camp basketball workshop like Mary Esther Austin, center, who is a pharmacy tech in Tampa Florida.Austin said she took part in the camp to help her get her educational goals in place and pursue a bachelor degree. Photograph by John de Dios/UANews

Pete Hughes, the head coach for the women’s wheelchair basketball team, gets a good laugh during the basketball workshop at the GPS sports camp. Photograph by John de Dios/UANews

Ebonee Sanders, an army veteran from Virginia, practices sliding into position with Sharona Young, a medically retired Navy veteran from Orlando, Florida, and Carl Morgan, a veteran from Atlanta, Georgia. Photograph by John de Dios/UANews