Founders

Sam McIntosh

Our Co-Founder Sam was born and raised in the Geelong area.  Sam had a BMX accident while on family holiday at the age of 17, resulting in incomplete quadriplegia.  While recovering after his accident, he watched future co-founder and classmate, Jemima win a medal at the Beijing Paralympics.  He made his international debut as a wheelchair racer in 2011 at the Para Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, NZL.  His other international races include the 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2023 Para Athletics World Championships and the 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024  Paralympics.  Sam holds the Australian records in the T52 100m, 200m, and 400m events and the Oceania records in the T52 100m and 200m events.  Sam currently splits his time between Ocean Grove leading Parallel Sports' basketball sessions and the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra for his wheelchair racing training.

Will Melican

Born and raised in the Gelelong, Will has tried out every adaptive parasport avaiable to him since a young age. Finding a passion for wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis, he is still ripping up the courts in social compitions. Will epitomises why Parallel Sports is vital to the region, providing sporting opetunities and community to those from early life though to adult hood. As a Co-Founding member, Will brings his lived experiance and passion for sport to Parallel Sports and all our programs.