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Leading up to the Tokyo Paralympic Games, wheelchair basketball player Clarence McCarthy-Grogan seemed on track to capture a special place in history.
Not since the legendary Kevin Coombs played in 1984 at the last of his five Paralympics had an Indigenous man represented the Rollers on the greatest stage.
McCarthy-Grogan, a Yanyuwa, Garrawa, Kuku-Yalanji man from Darwin, had been a regular at national development camps, played for the Australian Spinners U23 side that won bronze at the 2013 World Championships and was a Championship winner for his US university in Texas.
Emulating Coombs seemed next on the list.
“The Paralympics was always the main focus for me,” he said. “But I ended up being the last man cut for Tokyo and that was a pretty rough feeling.
“I definitely learned a lot from that experience, as a person and as an athlete. I could have been down in the dumps, but I’m very hungry to represent my country and represent my people.”
Rollers assistant coach Brad Ness said McCarthy-Grogan had been “there or about” before Tokyo.
“He was doing really well at college, came back but didn’t commit hard in that gap before the Games,” Ness said..
“But this is his character: he took it on board, didn’t get sour about not getting selected, he just went away and worked harder and made sure he didn’t miss out on this World Championship.”
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McCarthy-Grogan, known widely as CJ, is one of five new members of the Rollers side heading to Dubai for the IWBF World Championship, starting on June 9. They will team up with a highly experienced core, including Bill Latham, Tristan Knowles and Shaun Norris.
The AUS Rollers and Gliders #WheelchairBasketball teams are locked in for the upcoming @_IWBF World Championships in Dubai. Check out the full team announcement from @BasketballAus: https://t.co/dHuVd7JMbC#ImagineWhatWeCanDo pic.twitter.com/C7cl78T7bB
— AUS Paralympic Team (@AUSParalympics) May 26, 2023
It’s been nearly 20 years since McCarthy-Grogan was told about wheelchair basketball by his able-bodied basketball coach and started playing in a local comp at the Darwin Basketball Association. Yet, for all his promise, this is the 29-year-old’s first major senior tournament.
“I’ve been in the pipeline since I represented the Emerging Rollers as an 18-year-old back in 2012, so it means a lot to me personally,” he said.
“But it also means a lot with the fact that it’s been a long time since there’s been an Indigenous player for the Rollers, since Uncle Kevin Coombs.”
It’s a point Ness believes is significant.
“There’s been other Indigenous athletes who’ve come through and been in the squad,” the five-time Paralympian and three-time medallist said.
“But in terms of going to the Paralympics, playing on the really big stage, there hasn’t been anyone since Uncle Kevin. It’s a pretty big thing for CJ to carry that honour and that legacy.
“If he has a solid Worlds – if he can give us the drive we want from him – it’ll be hard not to have him in Paris, that’s for sure.”
The drive the Rollers coaches want from McCarthy-Grogan is not necessarily to score a stack of points, it’s more to do with attitude and key moments.
“He brings a bit of magic to the court,” Ness said.
“He’s got really quick hands, he’ll get an interception or make a pass no one else on the court sees. He’s got an uncanny ability to change the momentum of the game. So we use him as a bit of a spark. If we’re bogged down, he’s who we go to.
“The other big thing he brings is his communication, which is next level. He’s very vocal and always good to have around. He’s able to get people fired up, which is important. Sometimes you really need that.”
Young CJ got plenty of practice being vocal growing up in a busy home where his parents raised several of his cousins. He said his parents raised all the kids the same way, ensuring they learned the merits of hard work and discipline.
McCarthy-Grogan applied those lessons to his basketball when he moved to Sydney to board at St Ignatius College for four years.
“The only way I could get recognised and play in the national league was to get out of my comfort zone and go down south to Sydney,” he said. “It was a chance to become independent, get into a routine and also network with more of my peers.”
He spent several years at the University of Texas, graduating with a Bachelor of Science including a minor in Disability Studies, and played last season in Spain before returning to Darwin recently to prepare for the World Championships.
“There are lots of opportunities out there, but you’ve got to go out and chase them,” he said. “It’s so rewarding when you figure out what you want and you earn your spot for an event or tournament.
“Wheelchair basketball is what I want. It’s the vehicle that’s got me through life. When I was younger I’d never have thought I could live in the US and live in Spain playing basketball. It still feels surreal. I’m just a fella from Darwin who’s very blessed.”
By: David Sygall, Paralympics Australia
Posted: 2 June 2023
