Toowoomba and Dalby wheelchair basketballer Lachlan Steinohrt urges people to sign up for Sporting CEO Challenge

Born with spina bifida, Lachlan Steinohrt has spent his life defying the odds. Now the wheelchair basketball player and coach is urging people to ‘give sport a go’ as he aims to shine a light on the challenges faced by people living in wheelchairs.

Toowoomba wheelchair basketball player Lachlan Steinohrt. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Lachlan Steinohrt has never been a man who has shied away from difficult or challenging situations.

Born with spina bifida, he was told he would struggle to walk and do well at school but he has defied the odds.

Taking up athletics at 13, a chance phone call introduced him to his sporting passion – wheelchair basketball.

“I started out in athletics when I was 13 and did that until I was about 15,” Steinohrt, 38, said.

“Sporting Wheelies rang me up and said a team needed another player at the (wheelchair basketball) state championships and asked if I wanted to give it a go.

“I said ‘yeah great’ and I haven’t missed a The Classics (tournament) since then.

“I love the challenge, the physicality and it’s great fun.”

Toowoomba wheelchair basketball players Charlotte Barber and Lachlan Steinohrt. Picture: Kevin Farmer

When he’s not working on the family farm near Dalby, Steinohrt can usually be found on the UniSQ Clive Berghofer Recreational Centre basketball courts.

Steinohrt, who coaches wheelchair basketball, is urging people to try their hand at the sport.

“People will come down to watch and say ‘I’m not good enough’ or ‘I can’t do that’,” Steinohrt said.

“All I say to them is give it a go, have some fun.

“What they don’t see or know is where everyone else has come from, where they started. We have a very supportive and inclusive community.

“Everyone is happy to help out – whether it is teaching them some skills or just being supportive, giving them a bit of confidence to just try something out.”

Toowoomba wheelchair basketball player Lachlan Steinohrt, Thursday, April 20, 2023. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Steinohrt is also urging business CEOs and community leaders to experience life in a wheelchair through the Sporting Wheelies CEO Challenge, which asks able-bodied people to take on the day-to-day challenges faced by people in wheelchair.

“It (life in a wheelchair) can have its challenges from time to time,” Steinohrt said.

“The challenge is about building awareness and letting people experience some of the challenges for themselves.

“It’s also an opportunity for them (challenge participants) to raise some much needed funds for Sporting Wheelies.

“They (Sporting Wheelies) are a fantastic organisation that offer extremely helpful programs and services to people in wheelchairs.”

The CEO Challenge takes place on June 16. For information on how to participant visit the challenge website.