March 12, 2020
The National Wheelchair Basketball Association is kicking off it’s 72nd annual National Tournament this week in Wichita, Kansas. This summer, NWBA athletes will compete at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Bullseye Activewear worked with the NWBA to print t-shirts for this year’s tournaments. The t-shirts will be worn by the athletes and are available for fans to purchase.
Founded in 1949, the NWBA features 22 conferences of 180 teams. Men, women, intercollegiate and youth athletes participate in the league that covers the United States and Canada. Over the course of the National Tournament Series over 1,400 Athletes (1,000 Youth) will compete in 233 games of wheelchair basketball.
Video of the NWBA Shirts Project in Action!
The NWBA has a rich history dating back to the mid-to-late 1940’s. The game of wheelchair basketball was developed by World War II Veterans in 1946. The first games were played in military hospitals where paralyzed soldiers were recovering. In 1949, Dr. Timothy Nugent officially founded the NWBA. Dr. Nugent, known as the “Father of Accessibility”, understood that disabled people had value and should not be tucked away in the shadows. He spent his life working on their behalf. In addition to creating the NWBA, Dr. Nugent pushed for higher education and rehabilitation in individuals with disabilities. He also was a leader in developing accessibility standards for America.
The graphics and print team at Bullseye Activewear worked closely with Will Waller, CEO of the NWBA, to create products that communicated his vision of the organization. To get fans excited about the 2020 Paralympic Games and the national team, red and black t-shirts were created featuring the wordmark “USA Wheelchair Basketball”. Below the wordmark is the “Tokyo 2020” tagline that includes the United States flag. Bullseye created two additional t-shirt designs showcasing the NWBA brand image, colors and the “1949” wordmark to emphasize the league's long standing history. All the designs were printed on soft blend t-shirts that were individually folded and poly bagged for easy distribution.
The NWBA is a valuable organization with a rich history and Bullseye Activewear is proud to have worked on this project with them. It is special for the team at Bullseye to be part of a project that enriches the lives of so many. For more information about the NWBA, please visit their website at www.nwba.org.