Wheelchair hockey
Wheelchair hockey is exactly what the name suggests: playing hockey in a sports wheelchair, a ball sport in which two teams compete against each other. With adapted sticks and a lighter plastic ball, the game is played indoors on a court with boards, with 6 players on each team. There are two variants: hockey for players in manual wheelchairs and E-hockey (for players in electric wheelchairs). We play hockey in manual wheelchairs.
Dutch Lions to Prague Wheel Open 2023
The top league competition is now played on an international field (larger than before) to ensure that we can compete internationally at a higher level. And participating internationally is what we, as Dutch Lions United, aim to do in August 2023 in Prague. The annual “European Championships” for club teams in wheelchair hockey, called the Prague Wheel Open (PWO), takes place there. In short, it’s a tournament where only the best clubs in Europe participate. Since there are more and more people in the Dutch top leagues who want to play at the highest level, we have put together a team of men and women who are super enthusiastic and want to bring out the best in themselves at the PWO. These are individuals from various wheelchair hockey clubs in the Netherlands. This way, we can all learn from each other, align the training techniques of different clubs, and improve our ability to play together, which can be beneficial for participating in the Dutch wheelchair hockey team.
All the players selected for the Dutch Lions United team currently play or have played in the Dutch national team. In short, they are highly motivated individuals who want to show that there is still a lot possible despite a disability, such as enjoying sports. Sports can mean so much to people with disabilities, which is why we also hope to motivate others with disabilities to engage in sports. Of course, it would be great if it’s wheelchair hockey, but any other sport that can motivate them to get active is a positive outcome.
However, all of this is not possible without financial support. Vicair is supporting us to ensure that we can participate in the PWO in Prague in August 2023.
Which wheelchair cushion suits you best?
Use our wheelchair cushion selection tool and find out