The TIRR Hotwheels, TIRR Memorial Hermann's junior wheelchair basketball team, competed in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association's (NWBA) national championship tournament from April 17 through April 21 in Louisville, Kentucky. The Hotwheels were ranked No. 1 in the junior division, heading into the tournament.
Since 1997, the TIRR Hotwheels team has competed in the NWBA Junior's Division. Led by Genny Gomez, recreational therapists at TIRR Memorial Hermann and the team's head coach for the past five years, the Hotwheels have come a long way since inception.
The elite squad has traveled all over the country, beating the competition in tournaments in places like Philadelphia, Dallas and Minnesota. And this year, the team obtained a number-one ranking for the first time in its 15-year existence.
TIRR Hotwheels, comprised of students aged 8 to 18, ascended to the top spot in the junior's league. After an intense competition, the Hotwheels brought home the national championship.