Harry Vines
Encyclopedia
Harry Doyle Vines was a prominent member of the wheelchair basketball
community, winning national and international championships.
and later residing in Sherwood, Arkansas
, he served on several commissions and boards, including the Governor’s Commission on People with Disabilities and the Arkansas Community Service Commission. He was a member of the Little Rock Central High School Tigers and earned a high school All American award in 1957. He played at Oklahoma City University
, and upon graduation from OCU in 1961 became a basketball coach at Southwest Junior High in Little Rock.
In 1978, he began coaching a new wheelchair basketball team - the Arkansas Rollin' Razorbacks of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association
(NWBA). Over the next 22 years, Vines led his team to 21 winning seasons. He coached the Rollin' Razorbacks to five national championships (1991, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 2000). Vines later coached US national teams in the World Cup and Paralympics.
In 1987, Harry coached the United States
team in World Wheelchair Games
(formerly known as the Stoke Mandeville Games) to its first world championship. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush awarded him with the President's Service Award (later known as the President's Community Service Award) for his outstanding volunteer contributions as a coach.
Harry had served the NWBA as Conference Commissioner of the Arkansas Valley Conference, 1st Vice President of the NWBA and President of the NWBA. In recent years, he was the NWBA representative on the Board of Directors to USA Basketball
. In 2001, Vines was inducted in the NWBA's Hall of Fame.
Wheelchair basketball
Wheelchair basketball is basketball played by people in wheelchairs and is considered one of the major disabled sports practiced. The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation is the governing body for this sport. It is recognized by the International Paralympic Committee as the sole...
community, winning national and international championships.
Biography
Born in Caldwell, ArkansasCaldwell, Arkansas
Caldwell is a town in St. Francis County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 465 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Caldwell is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 7.8 km²...
and later residing in Sherwood, Arkansas
Sherwood, Arkansas
Sherwood is a city in Pulaski County, Arkansas, United States, and a suburb of Little Rock. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 29,523...
, he served on several commissions and boards, including the Governor’s Commission on People with Disabilities and the Arkansas Community Service Commission. He was a member of the Little Rock Central High School Tigers and earned a high school All American award in 1957. He played at Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City University, often referred to as OCU, is a coeducational, urban, private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
, and upon graduation from OCU in 1961 became a basketball coach at Southwest Junior High in Little Rock.
In 1978, he began coaching a new wheelchair basketball team - the Arkansas Rollin' Razorbacks of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association
National Wheelchair Basketball Association
National Wheelchair Basketball Association is composed of 181 wheelchair basketball teams within twenty-two conferences. Founded in 1949 by Tim Nugent, the NWBA today consists of men's, women's, intercollegiate, and youth teams throughout the United States of America and Canada.The International...
(NWBA). Over the next 22 years, Vines led his team to 21 winning seasons. He coached the Rollin' Razorbacks to five national championships (1991, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 2000). Vines later coached US national teams in the World Cup and Paralympics.
In 1987, Harry coached the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
team in World Wheelchair Games
World Wheelchair Games
The IWAS World Games, formerly known as the World Wheelchair and Amputee Games, the Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games, the Stoke Mandeville Games, and the World Wheelchair Games , are a multi-sport competition for athletes with a disability.The Games were originally held in 1948 by Sir Ludwig...
(formerly known as the Stoke Mandeville Games) to its first world championship. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush awarded him with the President's Service Award (later known as the President's Community Service Award) for his outstanding volunteer contributions as a coach.
Harry had served the NWBA as Conference Commissioner of the Arkansas Valley Conference, 1st Vice President of the NWBA and President of the NWBA. In recent years, he was the NWBA representative on the Board of Directors to USA Basketball
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
. In 2001, Vines was inducted in the NWBA's Hall of Fame.