Disability Sports...

[Rikk]

Just wondering if anyone else takes part at all?

I've been doing sitting volleyball for about a year now and have been really enjoying it, practice once a week for 2-3 hours and a monthly grand prix where all the teams get together for a 2 division competition.
great atmosphere and superb bunch of people.

Recently (4-5 weeks) I've started doing wheelchair basketball and absolutely love it, so much that I've already ordered my own chair as I know this is something I'll be doing for a good long while.
Very new group of players which suits me fine, and all really great especially the two coaches.

I've been quite active doing mountain biking and a lot of general exercise but find the team sports really something else.

So, anyone?

..........Rikk

[z4chris99]

what's your disability? wheelchair rugby looks mental

I was going to say "I hope you don't mind me asking" but that's sounds ttish

[Rikk]

No problems here with you asking

Right below knee amputation (short bony stump)
Arthritis left knee/hip
Left ankle replacement due to arthritis (still very painful due to scaring)
40% muscle loss in left thigh

Rugby is to stop/start for me, also you need to have mobility and upper body issues from what I understand.

Tried hockey last night, was good fun but my ankle didn't like it at all... oh well, can but try

[Matt172]

Have you tried Sailing? My dad used to be chairman of our local sailability club, they have boats that cater for all disabilities, they had quite a few very competitive sailors who competed at pretty high standards. Our little boy has DS and I'm hoping I'll be able to get him out on the water when he's a little older.

I love wheelchair rugby too, they guys that play that are bloody bonkers

[Rikk]

Not tried sailing, if I'm honest it doesn't really appeal to me, although an amputee friend of mine is doing a lot of sailing and loving it.

You should try basketball, not quite as brutal but for a non contact sport there's an awful lot of contact 8)

[z4chris99]

clay shooting?

[Rikk]

I've done archery which is in a similar vein to clay pigeon shooting, but I prefer something physical and as I've always been very good at hand/eye coordination sports I found it very easy, within a couple of months I'm shooting as good as someone who's been doing it for years and didn't find it a challenge.

Volleyball tonight

Oh, tried hockey Tuesday evening, good fun but I'm just not mobile enough and rather nervous of twisting my ankle or getting it battered.

[mazdajason]

I read this and was going to recommend basketball too, wheelchair rugby looks very rough but would be a great sport to watch i reckon. Loved watching it during the paralympics.

Also, volleyball?

[Happy82]

Don't take part, but I do watch sledge hockey which is entertaining

[Rikk]

I tried the sledge hockey out at sportfest in Decemeber, was bloody hard I can tell you. Did fancy a proper go but the nearest club is 50-60 miles away.
There's another club very near that are doing "disability" hockey, went to try that out last Tuesday which was great fun but my ankle is to weak and I was really nervous about taking a stick or a ball to it as well so that will need to be left.

Ordered a chair for the basketball a week or so ago, just the horrible wait for it to be built now, still using the chairs at the club for the moment.

Really wish I'd of discovered these sports years ago, anyway can't complain I still run rings around most everyone else and majority are a LOT younger than I am

[Willy Nilly]

Can you race in your 'chair? Some running events have wheel chair races on at the same time. Court based contact sports in wheel chairs look like a means of loosing all you fingers to me.

[Rikk]

Nope, the basketball chair is designed for stability and manoeuvrability, going really fast in it in a straight line for any length of time would be interesting and quite tiring

edit.. one of the reasons the wheels are angled is to protect your fingers, it also supplies huge amounts of stability, when leaning into a corner you can absolutely cream around

This is the basketball chair


And an athletics chair


Quite different, and after ordering the basketball chair I'd hate to have to spend the same again on a different one never mind the space to put them 8)

[Happy82]

Where in the UK are you? I know sledge hockey is a rapidly expanding sport

[Rikk]

Tried the sledge hockey at the huge come n try event sportfest in surrey, was interesting controlling the sledge but didn't take long before I at least wasn't falling in the corner any more
Problem is the nearest place is Milton Keynes which is a 1.5hrs to get to, there is a local ice rink but the council won't give them free time to use it until there are enough people, chicken and egg
I had intended going to MK a few times but that would impact on the basketball training and to be honest I can only do so many sports and give them my all, so it's sitting VB and basketball all the way, with the mountain bike back out when the weather clears a bit

I'm in Romford(East London) BTW, quite a bit around here to tempt people, pity it's harder than pulling teeth to actually get disabled people to try a sport

[BlackVanDyke]

I play boccia competitively - in 2 teams at the moment, one part of a mixed-ability multisport club and one very serious dedicated team which includes a couple of members of the English and Welsh national squads. Started in October - it's been a real eye-opener, hadn't realised how much I had been missing the chance to be properly competitive. It's a bit of an orphan sport though - even other disabled sportspeople often haven't heard of it - so the funding is pants and even regional championships feel a bit "turn up and have a go" at times.

[Rikk]

Boccia was one of the sports myself and friend tried at sportfest and both really enjoyed it, but trying to find somewhere to do it has been a problem. The local YMCA has two sessions a week but both during the day and nowhere else around here does it.
It seems as it's aimed at the more severely disabled pretty much everywhere runs the sessions during the day as they assume you won't be working. I did speak to them and ask about an evening session so those of us who work can join in.

Friday night I started training with a different wheelchair basketball club, holy cow what a difference, VERY intense and just totally non stop for almost 3 hours. My back, shoulders and arms really didn't like me on Saturday 8)