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In the News
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Esther Vergeer of the Netherlands, the defending women's wheelchair singles champion, is pursuing her sixth Australian Open title and looking to solidify her claim as perhaps the most dominant competitor in all of sports. By The Numbers by Allan St. John http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120123137360915993.html
Grace Shafir was so touched by the courage and determination of five disabled tennis players that the documentary filmmaker from Boca Raton followed them for five years. DOWNLOAD the article • Page 1 (PDF, 3.1MB) • Page 2 (PDF, 4.8MB) Boca Raton Times, May 9, 2007. Vol. 33, No. 19
Judges enjoyed Grace Shafir's fast-paced piece about members of the U.S. Paralympic tennis team because of its in-depth look into the athletes' lives. Each athlete has a unique story and motivation, but the common ground comes in playing tennis. ... The judges appreciated its focus on the athletes' dedication to tennis and relationships with family and friends. http://www.governor.state.tx.us/disabilities/awards/jordan/winners-2006
On April 20, Corpus Christi hosted the 24th Annual Barbara Jordan Awards with a theme of “Let’s Play.” ... Recipients of this annual banquet event are awarded bronze medallions in honor of their efforts to bring out the reality that people with disabilities are the same people as anyone else regardless of class, creed, or ability. Island Waves, a student publication of Texas A&M University - Corpus
Christi
“Champions on Wheels,” a documentary produced by a Boca Raton woman, has won the Barbara Jordan Media Award for Best documentary. The award will be presented April 20 in Corpus Christi, Texas, by the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with disabilities. DOWNLOAD the article (PDF, 376 KB) Boca Raton News, March 18, 2007
A new documentary shows how five wheelchair athletes found meaning on the tennis court. Action Online, Journal of the United Spinal Association. August
6, 2006
Its most recent showing Sunday, March 12, at the Tiburon International Film Festival in California is the third such honor for "Champions on Wheels," a documentary film about five world-class wheelchair tennis players competing for a place on Team USA at the 2004 Athens Paralympics. PT Bulletin Online, APTA (American Physical Therapy Association)
The west coast premiere of "Champions on Wheels" will be at the Tiburon International Film Festival on Sunday, March 12 at 11 a.m. It's a 75 minute documentary plus a question and answer session. Tickets may be purchased at the theater or at www.tiburonfilmfestival.com. USTA Northern California (NorCal) Section web site, February
28, 2006
Life on the tennis tour can pose years of physically-demanding training, big-match pressure and painful personal setbacks, but some players don't take the experience sitting down. Grace Shafir's film "Champions on Wheels" follows five American world-class wheelchair tennis athletes through their four-year quest to qualify for Team USA and earn a place at the 2004 Athens' Paralympics. Tennis Week, January 19, 2006
In a giant step for the sport of wheelchair tennis, Mayor Alan Arakawa of Maui declared Thursday, June 30th, 2005, as "Beth Arnoult-Ritthaler Day”. Ranked the No. 1 wheelchair tennis player in the nation, Beth Arnoult-Ritthaler is well-known and admired for her commitment to wheelchair tennis, and her efforts to bring the sport to other physically challenged athletes. USTA.com, July 1, 2005 Download the Official County of Maui Proclamation • PHOTO
Along with the glitz and glamor, filmmaker Grace Shafir expressed a different side of the festival. Her film, “Champions on Wheels,” which airs Saturday at noon at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s McCoy Theater, tells of five wheelchair-bound athletes, including Kula tennis player Beth Marnoult, the No. 5-ranked American player. “My film is about expressing and taking the limits life gives you, about making lemonade and even ambrosia. It fits in here because it’s the way people on Maui live,” she said. The Maui News, June 16, 2005
Beth Arnoult-Ritthaler (USA) caused the upset of the week during Saturday's finals at the Atlanta Open, part of the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour, as she defeated top seed Sharon Walraven (NED) to claim her second Women's Main Draw Singles title of the year. Fourth seed Arnoult-Ritthaler beat the unseeded Jan Proctor (USA) 60 63 in Friday's semi-finals to earn her place in the final against World No 2 Walraven, who came through her semi-final against third seed Karin Korb (USA) 64 61. The Hawaii-based player then snatched the big points in the final to score her first ever victory over Walraven 64 64. ITF Wheelchair Tennis
EP, Exceptional Parent Magazine, May 2005
Interest and reaction to the film so far has been encouraging and should prove to bring good things to both the director and the athletes. SoFLim: The Insider's Guide to South Florida's Production
Industry, May 2005
It is inspiring to hear about how these positive minded individuals found themselves with a tennis racket in their hands after a tragic accident. Any rehabilitation center or therapy clinic would find this film to be a huge asset because it is easier to show someone what they can still do after losing the ability to walk, than to try to explain it to the patients and then walking away themselves. Nathasha Alvarez, Audacity Magazine: The Disabled Magazine
for the Abled Mind, May 2005
Writer and director Grace Shafir, also of Boca, is equally proud with her documentary Champions on Wheels, which follows five wheelchair tennis players and their quest to make the American team at the Athens Paralympics, because she's glad these athletes' stories will be told (it screens 3:45 p.m. Sunday at Old School Square, Delray Beach; 2 p.m. Thursday at Muvico Parisian 20, CityPlace). "They have taken lemons and made lemonade. They're like 'I'm injured. What's next?' " Shafir said. "... Before I knew them I tended to complain more. The (athletes) don't do that. Now, every third sentence out of my mouth is 'I'm so grateful. I'm so fortunate.' " Leslie Gray Streeter, Palm Beach Post, TGIF Entertainment,
April 15, 2005
Life on the tennis tour can pose years of physically-demanding training, big-match pressure and painful personal setbacks, but some players don't take the experience sitting down. Grace Shafir's new film Champions on Wheels follows five American world-class wheelchair tennis athletes through their four-year quest to qualify for Team USA and earn a place at the 2004 Athens' Paralympics. Tennis Week, April 1, 2005
In the ladies final between familiar foes Armelle Fabre of France and Hawaii's Beth Arnoult-Ritthaler, it was more of the same shot-making galore. As with men's champion Wikstrom, Arnoult-Rittenhaler came out firing, taking the first set briskly, 6-0. "The first set I came out solid and strong, focused," Arnoult-Ritthaler said. "I played her last winter in Europe on a clay court. The shot that I used there a lot was the drop-shot. It was more difficult to get to on the clay where here my drop-shot wasn't near as effective against her." Geoff Watts, Pensacola News Journal, April 4, 2005
... a new documentary by Grace Shafir, features five top wheelchair tennis players in their pursuit for life after disability Wheelchair Sports,
USA Newsletter, April 2005
As seeded players, Robin Ammerlaan (NED) and David Hall (AUS) might not have been playing for ranking points on Wednesday's first day of play at the Nasdaq-100 Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships, part of the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour, but they still teamed up for an exhibition match on the Stadium Court at Crandon Park, Key Biscayne. Ammerlaan and Hall, the world's top two ranked singles players, paired up to take on ATP Tour stars Mark Knowles (BAH) and Daniel Nestor (CAN), the top seeds for their Men's Doubles this week in Florida, on the Stadium Court during Wednesday afternoon. Compered and umpired by Bud Collins, the enthralling exhibition match played as a pro set ended with Ammerlaan and Hall edging Knowles and Nestor 11-9. ITF
Wheelchair Tennis
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, March 13, 2005
Tennis Week, April 13, 2005
"The athletes profiled in Champions on Wheels are a beacon of what is and what could be. This is a story of inspiration, motivation, admiration, changing stereotypes, but most of all, respect." Todd Hatfield, NWBA News, February 4, 2005
Sports and Spokes, January 2005 |
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Tennis's Top Champ
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2006 Barbara Jordan Media Award Winner
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Film produced, directed by Boca woman, wins documentary
award
Hearts of Champions
Champions
on Wheels" Documents Tennis Athletes in Wheelchairs
Attend
the West Coast Premier of "Champions on Wheels"
Champions
On Wheels Released On DVD
Beth
Arnoult-Ritthaler Day
In
all its glamour, the Maui Film Festival at Wailea is Simply Celestial
Arnoult-Ritthaler
upsets World No 2 in Altanta
Mobility
Issue: Champions on Wheels
Documentary
Film Premiere at PBIFF
Sports:
Wheelin' and Dealin'
Film
Festival: Local filmmakers make it to the big screen
On
center court
"Champions
on Wheels"
"Local
filmmaker Grace Shafir has produced a superb 70-minute documentary,
Champions on Wheels, which will play at the Palm Beach International
Film Festival. If you've ever mused over the motivation
of paralyzed athletes, this is a wonderfully incisive piece of work." ~
Charles Bricker, sports columnist 
"Champions
on Wheels is an unblinkingly honest, upbeat portrayal of courage,
determination, perseverance, faith, belief in self, powerful athleticism
and a deep desire to be seen as a regular person. As an athlete.
As a tennis player."
Steve
Welch stars in Champions on Wheels
"Reportedly
the first documentary on wheelchair tennis, Champions on Wheels
tells world-class athletes stories of determination, athleticism,
zest for life, and a burning desire to be seen for their abilities,
not disabilities. Each athlete has found a meaningful life
after disability."