ABSTRACT
The development of wheelchair basketball (WB) as a Paralympic sport within the Czech Republic is explored in this chapter. The case study coach is Rostislav Pohlman, an excellent athlete in discus and javelin throwing, subsequently an elite wheelchair basketball player, and most recently coach of the Czech National Wheelchair Basketball Team. His life-span trajectory, from after his injury up to success at the world Paralympic level is described against the background of preand post-1990 political-socio-economic changes in the Czech Republic (CZ). Of particular focus are the lack of systematic preparation and international contacts, strong intrinsic motivation of the Czech Paralympians and their coaches who were provided with more opportunities and better technologies after 1990, but also confronted with losing the enthusiasm of athletes as the limited systematic support for Paralympic sports still prevailed.
