Next weekend Wichita, Kansas will play host to the National Wheelchair Basketball Association National Tournament. The Rolling Panthers, a team from Iowa affiliated with Sportability of Iowa will be participating. One of the star players for the Rolling Panthers is Wellman’s Jayden Stafford. Stafford, 13, has been one of the keys to the team’s 19-7 overall record and fifth place national ranking. He spoke with KCII news this week about his thoughts on Nationals. “I’m excited because this will be my second year in a row. Since this is my last year playing with the littles, I’m hoping that they have a really fun time like I did my first year of playing.”

Stafford has had a terrific season, scoring as many as 26 points in a game and is ready to take things to the next level. While this is his final season to be eligible for the prep level, he already spends time competing with the varsity team and has future plans to earn a scholarship to play wheelchair basketball for the University of Illinois Fighting Illini and make the US Paralympics team.