media reports
- 2009
Selected newspaper article reprints about people of short stature, including SSPA
members, as well as short stature in general from newspapers and magazines
around Australia from 2009.
For articles from around the world about people of short stature and short
stature in general, go to
http://www.shortsupport.org/cgi-bin/news_list.cgi
Headlines
Chelsea duo shooting for glory
Mordialloc-Chelsea Leader (Victoria, Australia), 7 April 2009, p. 7.
Author:
Jesse Wray-McCann
THEY may be small, but Chelsea's
Jonathon and Meredith Tripp are proving you don't need to be tall to play
basketball internationally.
The couple, along with St Bede's College year 11 student Michael Spain of
Mentone, are heading to Ireland as part of Australia's first basketball team to
compete at the World Dwarf Games.
``When there's something public about a person of short stature or dwarfism it's
often made a mockery of, instead of showing us doing things just as everyone of
average height does,'' Mrs Tripp said.
``These games are one thing to try and dispel that image.''
The Tripps and Michael are also part of the Sspitfires basketball team,
whichcompetes in the Port Phillip Basketball Association in the under-12 and 14
competitions.
The Sspitfires are given no concessions, with the height of the ring being the
standard 3m.
``It's fantastic for the kids down there because it's increasing their awareness
of people with differences,'' Mrs Tripp said.
``We try to keep the ball fairly low, but taking them on and trying to shoot a
goal can often be a little more difficult.''
That will change come July and August.
``I think the biggest shock at the World Dwarf Games will be that we're so used
to playing against others that tower over us but over there we'll have to
readjust our tactics,'' Mrs Tripp said.
The team is made up of six Sspitfires players, three from New South Wales and
one from Adelaide.
Short Statured People of Australia vice president Jo Bracknell said the dwarf
games provided exciting opportunities.
``We are just so hugely proud of everyone that is going across for the games,''
Ms Bracknell said.
``It will show people around Australia that short statured people are capable of
playing sports at an international level.''
Mrs Tripp said she and her husband couldn't wait for the games to begin.
``Everyone in the team is extremely excited and nervous at the same time,'' Mrs
Tripp said.
``It's going to be great to be playing a competitive sport at an international
level.''
Article link: :
http://mordialloc-chelsea-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/duo-shooting-for-glory/
Lack of cash puts
trip out of reach
Herald Sun (Victoria, Australia), 23 May 2009, p. 18
Author: Cheryl Critchley
AUSTRALIA'S smallest basketballers
have found fundraising for the World Dwarf Games a tall order.
The team has been unable to find a sponsor for the July event in Belfast,
forcing each member to pay $6500 for the trip of a lifetime.
That includes $5000 for the games and $1500 for training as it alternates
between Sydney and Melbourne. One player flies from Adelaide.
Organiser and player Meredith Tripp sent more than 100 letters to potential
sponsors, but apart from a $5000 State Government grant for equipment and
uniforms has had no joy.
Younger team members are working extra hours on top of study to pay for the
trip, and one of the best players can't afford to go.
Australia's Games team includes 15 athletes competing in basketball, swimming,
table tennis, bocce, athletics and power lifting, plus 15 support staff.
It will hold a fundraising band night with Public Nuisance at the McKinnon Hotel
next Saturday, and a gala dinner at Mulgrave Country Club on July 4.
Potential donors can call 0438 882 478 or visit
www.sspa.org.au/2009wdg.htm.
Article link: :http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25524196-661,00.html/
Spain is heading for
Ireland
Moorabbin
Glen Eira Leader (Victoria, Australia), 27 May 2009, p.
6.
Author: Lisa Edgerton
HE MAY be shorter than his mates, but
Michael Spain is on top of the world.
The 16-year-old Bentleigh East boy will travel to the World Dwarf Games in
Ireland in July as part of Australia's first dwarf basketball team.
Accustomed to playing the game against larger players, the 130cm tall teenager
said he was looking forward to some level competition.
My mates don't go easy on me, but that's the way I like it. I don't want to be
treated differently,'' Michael said.
"This is massive for us. It's a chance to represent Australia and play against
people at our level.''
When he was 13, Michael gave up playing football for St Paul's McKinnon and
joined the Short Statured People Association's basketball team, the Sspitfires.
Since then his athleticism and happy-go-lucky personality have helped him rise
to the top of his sport.
''I've always loved all kinds of sports but basketball has become my main
focus,'' he said. ``I'd probably like to be a professional coach one day.''
Several fundraisers will be held before the team leaves for Belfast on July 24.
They are at McKinnon Hotel on Saturday, May 30 at 8pm; Bunnings Warehouse
Mentone on Saturday, July 11; and Mulgrave Country Club dinner and auction on
Saturday, July 4. Tickets: phone 0438 882 478.
Article link: http://moorabbin-glen-eira-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/spain-is-heading-for-ireland/
Aussie team stands tall
Herald-Sun (Victoria, Australia), 9 August 2009, p. 11.
AUSTRALIA scooped the
pool at its first World Dwarf Games in Belfast, including a gallant silver in
basketball against the US.
The fifth world games ended with Australia losing the basketball gold medal
playoff 11-17.
Australia's 15-strong team exceeded all expectations with at least 15 gold,
seven silver and five bronze.
These included a brilliant effort in the pool by Samantha Lilly, who won four
gold and a bronze on the one day. Jonathon Tripp scored silver in the 25m
freestyle and bronze in the table tennis before joining the basketball final.
Dwarf
Games success
Moonee Valley Gazette (Victoria, Australia), 10 August 2009, p. 16.
A WEARY but triumphant
Australian team arrived back in the country last week after a successful trip to
the World Dwarf Games in Belfast.
The 15-member team Australia's first at the games won 13 gold, six silver and
four bronze medals.
Essendon's Margherita Coppolino, who competed in boccia a cross between the
Italian version of bocce and lawn bowls said the team was ``feeling quite
overwhelmed at how well we did''.
Coppolino said the decision to compete at the games was made only 18 months ago
and the entire team trained hard to be ready.
``It just goes to show you what's possible,'' she said.
Although Coppolino did not win a medal this time, she said she was ``very
pleased'' with her performance.
``Next games I should be up there with the medallists,'' she said.
Coppolino thanked the staff at the Fernwood gym in Moonee Ponds for helping her
reach her peak fitness in time for the competition.
She said she hoped Australia would put in a bid to host the next games in four
years.
Coppolino is this week's Moonee Valley Leader Sports Star. To nominate a Sports
Star phone 9495 9546.
Spain on trifecta at World
meet
Mordialloc-Chelsea News (Victoria, Australia), 9 September 2009, p. 27.
ST BEDE'S College student Mikey Spain won the trifecta at the World Dwarf Games
in Ireland.
Spain, 17, took home a gold medal in swimming, silver in basketball and bronze
in athletics.
He was also fourth in the Under-17 shot put.
Spain's gold medal came in the 4x25m open men's freestyle relay.
The East Bentleigh resident earned his bronze medal in the 60m sprint and the
silver in the headline event of the games, the men's basketball final.
``Winning three medals was very surprising,'' Spain said.
``I didn't know what to expect and to come home with three gold medals is
brilliant. It was my first time overseas and the experience of a lifetime.''
The Australians took on the US in the gold medal basketball game and were edged
17-11 in a tight, hard-fought encounter.
The Aussies won their first four games to cruise into the semi-finals where they
easily defeated England 30-10 to earn a spot in the final.
The decider was played in front of a packed stadium and was followed by the
closing ceremony.
``Basketball was my main focus and I was pretty pumped to go out there and
represent Australia,'' Spain said.
``The final was very intense, heart pumping. At the end of the day we came home
with silver and you can't complain about that. The kids at school were thrilled
for me.
''Overall, Australia was fifth in the medal count behind the UK, US, France and
Germany. More than 20 countries competed.
The games have been held every four years since 1993. This year was the first
time Australia has participated.
Dwarf
race a cheap shot at a high price
The Age (Victoria, Australia), 17 October 2009, p. 9.
Author: Sam Drummond is
a freelance writer.
MY NAME is Sam. Because of a
condition called pseudoachondroplasia, I stand 134 centimetres above the ground.
I am a dwarf. But this is not how I would introduce myself to you. I would say
"Hi, I'm Sam".
Get to know me a bit better and you
would find out I am nearing the completion of a degree, am passionate about
community broadcasting and pushing for a break in commercial radio. Then you
might discover more: a love of music festivals; stories from travels around four
continents; a tendency to pick the wrong people to hang out with at 3am on
weekends.
Before any of that, though, I have to
pierce the barrier of first impressions; a barrier that is as linked to history
as any bad-taste, variety-show, comeback skit.
Dating to at least ancient Egyptian
times, dwarfs have been depicted as ugly, disgusting and stupid. The notion of
the dwarf has been linked to themes of fantasy, entertainment and ridicule.
There have been points in history when these perceptions have meant that
succumbing to the stereotypes, however humiliating, has been the only way to
survive. In years gone by, instead of learning the intricacies of court process,
I might have been a court dwarf – owned, exploited and sent as a gift. In some
cultures, such discrimination remains.
Over the past century, however,
Western societies have worked to have short-statured people viewed as normal
citizens. This has had something to do with advances in medical diagnoses and
procedures. Some credit should also be given to the more high-profile civil
rights movements, which have dragged the cause along like a tin can on a wedding
car.
No doubt the greatest acknowledgement
should be given to the efforts of the vast majority of people diagnosed with
dwarfism and their families. These people have managed the daily struggle of a
world ill-designed for their needs on top of stereotypes placed on them by
society. This can strain both self-esteem and faith in humanity that others can
never understand, but often reveals qualities of great humour and determination.
Progress, however, is frequently linked to the perceptions of others.
Even so, such progress is evident in
the availability of informed literature that has been published in recent years.
Previously, searching mountains of dusty books for a world in which dwarfs are
seen as real people got not much further than Middle-earth. Now there is
material drawn from real-life perspectives that intend to educate the ignorant
and break down barriers.
In 2005, Betty Adelson, herself a
mother of a short-statured child, wrote the first comprehensive history of the
obstacles one faces in The Lives of Dwarfs. She writes that modern dwarfs no
longer "need to become pets at court or display themselves as curiosities in
order to survive economically". Then there is the US television show Little
People Big World, which follows the everyday lives of a family who are in all
senses "normal", apart from the fact that three of them are short-statured.
The progress is clear, but there will
always be an ignorant few who cause setbacks in the struggle. Take, for
instance, last weekend's "Midgets Cup" at Cranbourne. Was it intended merely as
a bit of fun? Yes. Did the crowd get a laugh out of it? From all reports,
definitely. Did the short-statured people involved benefit? If you count the
money and briefly mixing with the semi-rich and sort-of famous, then yes.
I live by a philosophy of not taking
life too seriously and being able to laugh at oneself. This is especially
important for those who fail to conform to society's view of "normal", but the
issue here is deeper than cheap laughs and short-term gains. Such stunts
reinforce the stereotypes that the rest of us work tirelessly to break.
For the rest of us, resorting to a
disrespect of our own bodies is on the same level as prostitution. For the rest
of us, leading successful lives without feeding the ignorance of the masses has
now become a bit more of a struggle. For the rest of us, the barrier of first
impressions has now become slightly thicker.
Any comments or suggestions should be forwarded
to: francisjk@bigpond.com
Copyright: ©2000 Short Statured People of Australia Inc. All rights reserved.
Last updated:
18 July, 2010