Krempien seeks Paralympic redempition
(taken from the May 09, 2007 St. Albert Gazette)    

The push is under way for Canada to regain its status as the No. 1 world power in women's wheelchair basketball.

"Jennifer KrempienWe're definitely building towards 2008 in Beijing. That's the major goal," said Jen Krempien, a three-time gold medallist at the Paralympic Games with Team Canada.

"We have some really talented athletes and they're training hard. Everybody is committed to this goal. We have a little bit of redemption from 2004."

Krempien was competing in her fourth Paralympics when the United States upset the defending three-time champions 57-40 in the semifinals. Canada went on to beat Germany for the bronze. In the final the United States defeated Australia for the Gold.Jennifer Krempien

Ever since the disappointing result in 2004 in Athens, the Paul Kane High School alumnus has devoted her energies towards a return trip to the top of the medal podium at next year's Paralympics in China.

"I feel totally confident in where I'm at and the steps I'm taking to be prepared in 2008," said Krempien, a national team veteran since 1992 who ranks third in seniority among players on the roster.

"For the next 12 months or so I"m working on strength and conditioning and sort of the fundamentals of the game, but I"m right where I want to be."

Krempien, 32, was on top of her game the last time Team Canada hooped it up at a major tournament. In February she was named the most valuable player in the inaugural Friendship Games Osaka Cup in Japan.

"An international MVP at any tournament is quite an honour but I play a team sport so I don't get too caught up in the individual stuff," said the all-star guard at the 1998 and 2002 Gold Cup world Championships.

"It was definitely nice to be recognized. I was excited."

In the final against Australia, a 66-41 win, Krempien sank her first three-pointer in international competition. She also scored a tournament-high eight points in the 57-39 victory over the United States.

"I sort of picked up my scoring in Japan. With the way the defences are shifting now (to cover Canada's top scorers) I need to be a scoring threat," said Krempien, who celebrated Gold Cup victories with Team Canada in 1994 in England, 1998 in Australia, 2002 in Japan and last year in Holland.

Scoring Baskets

After starting her career as a defensive specialist, Krempien is now a player who can also chip in offensively. Internationally her best game scoring wise was 12 points. Her career high is 18 points at the club level.

"I really had a good scoring weekend in our last tournament in Calgary. I averaged about 10 points a game, which is a good step for me. That's really where I need to be, sort of in the six to 12 point range."

Krempien stays sharp on the court by playing club basketball with the Edmonton Inferno, the three-time defending Canadian Wheelchair basketball League champions, in addition to games at Douglas College in B.C.

Last weekend Krempien and her Inferno teammates hosted a four-team tournament at Bellerose Composite High School in preparation for the May 18-20 nationals in Winnipeg. The women's division at nationals features five teams.

League play consists of tournament settings similar to the four-game format over two days at Bellerose.

During her stay back home, Krempien will visit with children at Robert Rundle Elementary School on Thursday morning. She has spent the school year e-mailing students in Mrs.Jans' Grade 1 and Miss Rollie's Grade 5 classrooms. Through the Internet blogs students have discussed topics with Krempien from athleticism to favourite books.

"It will be interesting to actually meet them because the questions from some of them have just been hilarious. They are just true innocent questions. Kids ask the best questions because there are no social pretences. They want to know so they ask. They're not ashamed or afraid. They just want to know what it's like to be disabled so I'm happy to tell them a little bit about it," said the dietitian for the Canadian national co-ed wheelchair rugby team.

"It will be a good opportunity to have a little bit of a discussion about what it's like to be an athlete and to go to school and travel the world. We're definitely not NBA millionaires. I think some of them haven't quite figured out that amateur sport and professional sport are a little bit different and that there are different priorities and funding opportunities."

Krempien suffered a spinal cord injury by falling off a picnic table at the age of five. She has no trunk muscles and is not able to rotate.

Her disability means Krempien is classified as a 1.0 player on the basketball court. Out of the five players on the floor you are allowed 14 points. The classifications range from a 1.0 to a 4.5 based on your level of ability. Someone with only a minimal disability would be a 4.5 and someone with a higher disability like Krempien would be a class 1.0.

She feels at ease discussing her disability.

"Any opportunities there are to highlight the sport and showcase the athletic potential and ability of these women and athletes, we can't pass those up," said Krempien, who started her basketball development in the Albert Northern Lights Junior Program.

Krempien considers herself a role model, "I guess by default I am. Maybe in 10 or 15 year when I've retired and had some time to actually reflect on the things I've done and accomplished and some of the teams I've been on it will be put in a little bit more perspective for me, but right now I'm so caught up in day-to-day life and training," said the clinical dietitian at the B.C. Children's Hospital.

"I'm really happy to work with the kids and to let them know that there are options and choices and things that you can do, whether it's sport or artistic things or academics in life. The more successful people that kids are exposed to throughout their lives can't be a bad thing."

Krempien lives in Richmond and is currently working on her masters of science in human nutrition at the University of British Columbia. Her thesis project is studying nutritional needs of athletes with spinal cord injuries.

hansen@stalbert.greatwest.ca
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