Darlene Hunter facts for kids

Darlene Hunter (born April 16, 1982) is an amazing American wheelchair basketball player. She is a key member of the United States women's national wheelchair basketball team, representing her country in many big competitions.

Meet Darlene Hunter

Darlene Hunter was born in Michigan in 1982. When she was four years old, she had an accident that affected her spine, meaning she uses a wheelchair. Darlene loved sports and athletics. When she started college, she discovered wheelchair basketball and was invited to join a team!

Darlene's Education Journey

Darlene went to Walled Lake Western High School. She continued her studies at several universities, including the University of Arizona, the University of Texas at Arlington, and Texas Women's University.

Becoming a Wheelchair Basketball Star

Darlene Hunter has had a fantastic career in wheelchair basketball. She played in the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, where her team finished fourth. Four years later, she and her team won the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro!

Darlene also became a world champion at the 2010 Wheelchair Basketball World Championship. She won another gold medal at the 2011 Parapan American Games. She competed in the 2014 Women's World Wheelchair Basketball Championship and earned another gold medal at the 2015 Parapan American Games.

Helping Others Through Basketball

Darlene is not just a great player; she also helps other young athletes. She started an annual wheelchair basketball camp just for women. In 2017, she was honored as an "Everyday Hero" at a special sports event called "espnW: Women + Sports Summit." She received a $10,000 grant, which she used to make her basketball camp even better and free for more people. The camp is held at the University of Texas at Arlington.

In 2019, Darlene traveled to Peru to play with the national team in her second ParaPan American Games, which took place in Lima that year.