College secure power hockey tournament

Greenbank Sports Academy hosted the second annual Merseyside Power Hockey Tournament involving eight teams from six local schools.

The tournament, which involved approximately 40 disabled and non-disabled children, was fiercely fought, with St Francis Xavier’s College eventually declared champions, after the final against Broadgreen International School went to penalties.

Aindrea McDaid, PE technician at SFX explained how their team started to play power hockey: “Alex Waring, a Year 10 pupil at our school is an electric wheelchair user and he comes to Greenbank Sports Academy every Wednesday to play power hockey. He absolutely loves it and is always talking about it in school.

“When we found out about this tournament, we thought that it would be a great opportunity for Alex to play sport with his non-disabled friends, so we brought a team of five along, including Alex.”

Alex said that is was “Epic!!” to play sport with his friends.

The other pupils from the school added “We’ve have had a fantastic day – it’s been a completely different experience and our awareness of disability sport has increased.”

Tournament organiser Steve Sullivan said: “Power hockey enables disabled children; particularly those using electric wheelchairs, to take part in a contact team sport, alongside their non-disabled peers, using a purpose built wheelchair.  It’s so important that disabled children have the opportunity to do this.

“The chair, which has been developed by Greenbank Sports Academy in partnership with apprentices from Jaguar Land Rover and North West Training Council, enables players to pass and shoot a ball using a unique propulsion mechanism and have fun in a fast, competitive team sport. “