The Battambang Roses
How wheelchair basketball changed these women's lives:
When the Cambodian women’s wheelchair basketball team headed to their first major international competition, they found wins off the court.
In a buzzing stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, Sieng Sokchan clenched her fists and waited anxiously for the announcement she’d been working toward for years: “Ladies and gentlemen, the women’s wheelchair basketball teams that will participate in the 2018 Asia Para Games are China, Japan, Thailand, Iran, Afghanistan, and Cambodia.”
Sieng hugged and congratulated her teammates, who were seated next to her in wheelchairs, all wearing basketball shirts in blue and red—the colors of the Cambodian flag. In seven months, they would travel to Jakarta, Indonesia, to represent their country at the Asia Para Games, where nearly 3,000 athletes from 43 nations would compete in 18 sports.
As captain and coach, Sieng would lead the team of 12 women to its first major international contest, a daunting endeavor in the best of circumstances. But these players face tremendous challenges off the court as well—poverty, mobility impairments ranging from limited stamina to partial paralysis, and a lack of athletic resources.
“Training women to this level of the game hasn’t been easy,” said Sieng, 37, who is also a single mother of two. “We all have different struggles and had to work harder than everyone to overcome them.”
The World Bank ranks Cambodia as one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world. Ten percent of the population experiences disability; the country also has the highest number of amputees in the world per capita. Forty years after the collapse of the Khmer Rouge, the effects of its bloody regime still linger. Millions of landmines that were planted alongside the Thai border continue to devastate local communities, including Battambang, The team’s home town.
Full story for National Geographic with text by Didem Tali
Members of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team rest after practice at the National Center for Disabled Persons in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on September 28, 2018 in preparation for for the 2018 Asian Para Games. This is the first time Cambodia has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Members of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team on route to the Green Lakes Market near the National Center for Disabled Persons in Penh, Cambodia on September 29, 2018 ahead of the athletes trip to Jakarta for the 2018 Asian Para Games. This is the first time the Cambodia women's wheelchair basketball team has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
A prosthetic limb at the edge of the basketball court while the Battambang Roses Women's Wheelchair Basketball team practice in Battambang Cambodia on October 19, 2018. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Coach Seing Sokchan of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team goes to rest after practice at the National Center for Disabled Persons in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on September 28, 2018 in preparation for for the 2018 Asian Para Games. This is the first time Cambodia has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Members of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team arrive at the Tonle Bassac II restaurant in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on September 28, 2018 to attend a celebratory dinner hosted the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports ahead of the athletes trip to Jakarta for the 2018 Asian Para Games. This is the first time the Cambodia women's wheelchair basketball team has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Members of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team shop at the Green Lakes Market near the National Center for Disabled Persons in Penh, Cambodia on September 29, 2018 ahead of the athletes trip to Jakarta for the 2018 Asian Para Games. This is the first time the Cambodia women's wheelchair basketball team has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Coach Seing Sokchan and members of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team shop for clothes at the Green Lakes Market near the National Center for Disabled Persons in Penh, Cambodia on September 29, 2018 ahead of the athletes trip to Jakarta for the 2018 Asian Para Games. This is the first time the Cambodia women's wheelchair basketball team has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Coach Seing Sokchang of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team and her teammates grab onto a tuk tuk as they leave the Green Lakes Market on her way back to the National Center for Disabled Persons in Penh, Cambodia on September 29, 2018 ahead of the athletes trip to Jakarta for the 2018 Asian Para Games. This is the first time the Cambodia women's wheelchair basketball team has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Members of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team prepare their competition wheelchairs at the National Center for Disabled Persons in Penh, Cambodia on September 29, 2018 ahead of the athletes trip to Jakarta for the 2018 Asian Para Games. This is the first time the Cambodia women's wheelchair basketball team has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Ho Channthy of Cambodia's National Women's Wheelchair Basketball team serves dinner at the National Centre Of Disabled Persons in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on October 16, 2018. The team had just returned from Jakarta, Indonesia where they competed in the 2018 Asian Para Games. This is the first year that Cambodia has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Pheoun Phors of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team gets on a motorbike with center staff outside of the the National Center for Disabled Persons in Penh, Cambodia on September 29, 2018 ahead of the athletes trip to Jakarta for the 2018 Asian Para Games. This is the first time the Cambodia women's wheelchair basketball team has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Seing Sokchan, coach of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team, watches a match between Cambodia and Iran in the basketball court at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia on October 7, 2018 at the 2018 Asian Para Games ahead of their match with Iran. This is the first time Cambodia has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Members of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team play a match against Iran in the basketball court at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia on October 7, 2018 at the 2018 Asian Para Games ahead of their match with Iran. This is the first time Cambodia has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Members of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team cheer on their team in the basketball court at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia on October 8, 2018 at the 2018 Asian Para Games during their match with China. This is the first time Cambodia has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Members of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team prepare backstage in the basketball court at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia on October 8, 2018 at the 2018 Asian Para Games ahead of their match with China. This is the first time Cambodia has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Members of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team take the bus from the basketball court at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium to the Para Village in Jakarta, Indonesia on October 8, 2018 at the 2018 Asian Para Games after their match with China. This is the first time Cambodia has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Seing Sokchan, coach of the Cambodia National Womens Wheelchair basketball, team rewatches old basketball matches in her dormitory room at the Para Village in Jakarta, Indonesia on October 9, 2018 at the 2018 Asian Para Games. This is the first time Cambodia has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Sieng Sokchan, coach of the Battambang Roses Women's Wheelchair basketball team's, trophy displayed in her home in Battambang, Cambodia on October 18, 2018. Sokchan was paralized from the waist down when she was 11 years old from a bullet wound in her spine. She was walking home from the New Market in Battambang with her grandmother when fighting broke out and she was caught in the crossfire. Sokchan lives in a small home with her two sonsSokchan Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Tao Chandra of Cambodia's National Women's Wheelchair Basketball team prepare to leave the National Centre Of Disabled Persons for their hometowns in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on October 17, 2018. The team had just returned from Jakarta, Indonesia where they competed in the 2018 Asian Para Games. This is the first year that Cambodia has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Sieng Sokchan of Cambodia's National Women's Wheelchair Basketball team stop at her fathers house to pick up her 4 year old son, Sok Lyheang, on her way home in Battambang, Cambodia on October 17, 2018. The team had just returned from Jakarta, Indonesia where they competed in the 2018 Asian Para Games. This is the first year that Cambodia has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Sieng Sokchan, coach of the Battambang Roses Women's Wheelchair basketball team, on her bed in her home in Battambang, Cambodia on October 18, 2018. Sokchan was paralized from the waist down when she was 11 years old from a bullet wound in her spine. She was walking home from the New Market in Battambang with her grandmother when fighting broke out and she was caught in the crossfire. Sokchan lives in a small home with her two sons. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Sieng Sokchan, coach of the Battambang Roses Women's Wheelchair basketball team, cleans the front yard of her home with her older son, Sieng Lyhour, in Battambang, Cambodia on October 18, 2018. Sokchan was paralized from the waist down when she was 11 years old from a bullet wound in her spine. She was walking home from the New Market in Battambang with her grandmother when fighting broke out and she was caught in the crossfire. Sokchan lives in a small home with her two sonsSokchan Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Tao Chandra, 35, assistant coach of the Battambang Roses Women's wheelchair basketball team, climbs onto her wheelchair at her home in Battambang, Cambodia on October 19, 2018. Chandra and her husband, Sin Theong, have been married for 11 years. Chandra has always loves sports and began playing basketball when she was 15 and found out there were sports for disabled people. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Tao Chandra, 35, assistant coach of the Battambang Roses Women's wheelchair basketball team, goes to the market with her husband Sin Theong in Battambang, Cambodia on October 18, 2018. Chandra and Theong have been married for 11 years. Chandra has always loves sports and began playing basketball when she was 15 and found out there were sports for disabled people. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Tao Chandra, 35, assistant coach of the Battambang Roses Women's wheelchair basketball team, and her husband Sin Theong, sit next to their bed in Battambang, Cambodia on October 19, 2018. Chandra and her husband, Sin Theong, have been married for 11 years. Chandra has always loves sports and began playing basketball when she was 15 and found out there were sports for disabled people. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Members of the Battambang Roses Women's Wheelchair basketball team prepare for practice at the Regional Physical Rehabilitation Center where they train in Battambang, Cambodia on October 19, 2018. The Battambang Roses basketball team was created in 2012 when Sieng Sokchan began recruiting members from surrounding areas. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Sieng Sokchan and other members of the of the Battambang Roses Women's Wheelchair Basketball team pick up their monthly stipend from the Internaitonal Committee of the Red Cross office in Battambang, Cambodia on October 19, 2018. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Members of the Battambang Roses Women's Wheelchair basketball team practice at the Regional Physical Rehabilitation Center where they train in Battambang, Cambodia on October 19, 2018. The Battambang Roses basketball team was created in 2012 when Sieng Sokchan began recruiting members from surrounding areas. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Members of the Battambang Roses Women's Wheelchair basketball relax after practice at the Regional Physical Rehabilitation Center where they train in Battambang, Cambodia on October 19, 2018. The Battambang Roses basketball team was created in 2012 when Sieng Sokchan began recruiting members from surrounding areas. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Members of Cambodia's national women's wheelchair basketball team take a van from the National Center for Disabled Persons in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on September 28, 2018 on route to a celebratory dinner hosted the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports ahead of the athletes trip to Jakarta for the 2018 Asian Para Games. This is the first time the Cambodia women's wheelchair basketball team has qualified to compete in the games. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Members of the Battambang Roses Women's Wheelchair basketball practice at the Regional Physical Rehabilitation Center where they train in Battambang, Cambodia on October 19, 2018. The Battambang Roses basketball team was created in 2012 when Sieng Sokchan began recruiting members from surrounding areas. Photo by Lauren DeCicca