Sports and Social Change Featured Organization

ASSOCIATED SPORTS: Football (Soccer)
CAUSES SERVED: Athletics, Children and Youth, Disability Issues, Special Needs
AGE GROUPS SERVED: All
EMAIL: krusso1 [at] indy [dot] rr [dot] com
WEBSITE: http://www.powersoccerUSA.net

Just minutes prior to the final championship match, players on competing teams are seen hanging around talking, laughing, and having a blast. Blasphemous, right? Nope. This is special. This is the sport of Power Soccer.

Power Soccer is a sport developed specifically for those who use power wheel chairs. According to the United States Power Soccer Association, “Athletes' disabilities include quadriplegia, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, and many others.” The game is similar in format to outdoor soccer, but is played indoors on a basketball court. “Two teams of four players attack defend, and spin-kick a 13-inch soccer ball in a skilled and challenging game similar to able-bodied soccer.”

While relatively new, Power Soccer is played all over the globe, and every four years there’s a world cup - which Team USA won in 2007. The athletes involved have varying levels of physical handicaps; some are 100% dependent on others when out of their wheelchair. And in similar fashion to “the beautiful game,” Power Soccer not only gives these athletes an outlet to express themselves through sport, but also a way to meet people and make new friends.

To learn more, we checked in with Karen Russo, executive vice president of the United States Power Soccer Association (USPSA) about some of the different facets of the sport, these amazing athletes, and the organization…

Q: Could you tell us a little bit about the sport of Power Soccer, and your mission with the USPSA?
A: Power Soccer is specifically designed for the daily power wheelchair users. The reason these athletes are in power wheelchairs is they generally have very limited upper body strength or do not have the ability to maneuver a manual wheelchair. Manual chair sports are prominent in the disabled community, but there really was not a competitive team sport that someone in a power chair could play. Power Soccer uses the power of the wheelchair to spin, pass and kick a 13" soccer ball to their teammates in order to score goals.

Our mission with the USPSA is to reach out to all power wheelchair users to educate them on the opportunities of playing Power Soccer through holding clinics, to validate the game through certified officials, typically USSF certified referees, who are now trained in our sport. The Laws of the Game are aligned with the outdoor running game with a few adaptations.

The USPSA is about opportunity and a celebration of the players’ abilities. The power of Power Soccer is about creating an atmosphere where these athletes learn life skills that allows them to become contributing members of society. Power Soccer removes and pushes back some barriers that are self created or perceived or perhaps imposed by parents of children with disabilities. Many of these athletes through much of their lives have been told, “I’m sorry but you can’t do that” or “I will do that for you or with you.” Power Soccer allows the players to compete totally independent without anyone but themselves and their fellow teammates. This is a great revelation to many that play this sport. Many for the first time leave their parents and siblings on the sidelines and discover this great independence and freedom.

Q: What sparked the motivation for the creation of the USPSA?
A: A governing body for Power Soccer had been envisioned for a number of years by a group of dedicated people that had been involved with the sport long before us, specifically people from the west coast originally forming NPSA, the National Power Soccer Association. This dedicated group worked together over a year to put together a constitution and a set of bylaws that would ultimately be the governing body of the United States Power Soccer Association, USPSA. At that time, there were 19 teams in the country playing local games and a national tournament but nothing was standardized; guards, speed, interpretation of rules, referee training, and with the growth of the sport on the horizon, it was necessary for a governing body to be established to take the sport to the next level. The United States Power Soccer Association became a 501(c)3 organization in 2006. It was clear by the growth of teams from 2003 to 2006 that there needed to be a central body to generate visibility, communication, and to support the growth of this exciting sport.

Q: These players must face unimaginable daily difficulties; have you seen Power Soccer as a therapeutic way of healing?
A: Oh yes, some of these athletes need 100% assistance when out of their wheelchair, they are totally dependant on someone dressing them, feeding them, rolling over in bed as well as their personal needs. Power Soccer gives them the power to play a sport totally independently, making their own choices on the court and giving them complete control. Power Soccer gets these athletes out of their rooms and away from the computer, TV and game consoles and puts them in an environment where they can thrive. The sport of Power Soccer is not just a game, but teaches many life skills that will benefit them outside the game.

Q: Is Power Soccer something people of all ages can play? Are there different age groups?
A: People 5 years of age to 105 can play as long as they have control of their chair. This game is for physically challenged athletes and not mentally challenged. In some cities, such as Indianapolis, athletes are placed on age appropriate teams as they have 13 active teams. In other cities, there may only be one team so they all play on the same team. However, this is the beauty of the game. All ages and genders can play together. The control of the joystick is the great equalizer. We have a veteran in Orlando who is in his 70’s and loves to play! The first Team USA in 2007 had players as young as 16 and a woman aged 55.

The USPSA travels to cities and states around the country holding clinics. These clinics are the beginning of a whole new world. Funds are limited so we need to be efficient with the funds we have. We have adopted somewhat of a leapfrog approach by hosting clinics in bordering states where Power Soccer currently exists. This furthers the camaraderie that is at the center of this sport. We typically bring two athletes and two able bodied persons to host a clinic. The able bodied persons assist with getting the soccer guards on the new players and the two athletes help with demonstrating drills and help the scrimmage flow so everyone has fun and learns. As with the running game of soccer, it is important to allow the players to touch the ball and understand how to maneuver it. This gives the new player and the parent of the player a comfort level and the confidence Power Soccer is a game they can play.

Q: Is the sport a medium for players to express themselves and let go?
A: I think this is about knowing you are not alone and there are others just like you. Being part of a team regardless of physically ability or being disabled, each person learns from each other. Each person learns they are part of the group moving in the same direction and each player has an important role for the team to be successful. They also find and develop friendships outside of their normal group of friends and in many cases can share their sporting successes on the court with their able-bodied friends just like everyone else. In many cases, their able-bodied friends support them at games and competitions. It gives the Power Soccer player a common bond with others.

Q: Do the players build relationships and camaraderie among each other?
A: I am not sure how other sports are, but I would doubt that you would see athletes that are preparing to play each other in a championship game, hang out with each other on the sidelines prior to the match. As serious as these athletes are about their game, and as intense as they are on the court, off the court they are no longer opponents, they are friends. These athletes have formed relationships all over the world and with wonderful tools like Facebook they are able to stay connected. The Power Soccer community is very strong and it’s not just the athletes that benefit from new friendships - the parents, husbands and wives, grandparents and more find a new support system as well.

Q: Can you tell us about one of your proudest moments while working with the USPSA?
A: There have been so many; but one of my most personal moments was when my children made Team USA in 2007. We went into the matches as the under dog and managed to shut out every team except for Team France, and allowed only 1 goal prior to the championship game. The final game came down to overtime and then to penalty kicks. Team USA came home with the win. I was so proud of the whole team and what they were able to accomplish. It’s not very often someone can find themselves as the best in the world in something. On that day, this group of athletes was the best in the world and I was extremely proud of them.

Q: In one of your newsletters, a child was quoted as saying "I love it, the experience of power chair soccer. I love my team. My team is awesome." That must be pretty amazing to hear.
A: It is. Power Soccer brings a wonderful element to these athletes’ lives. Many of these athletes have been closed off to sports and the team experience. Words cannot describe the evolution and discovery of what a team sport brings.

Q: What do you think of Team USA's chances in the world cup this year?
A: Team USA has a very good chance of retaining their 2007 championship title. The team has been training for the past 2 years together on a quarterly basis and has been responsible for completing drill assignments as an individual for the past 86 weeks. They are ready!

Q: What can our readers do to help out the USPSA?
A: Funding is always challenging. We are launching a new campaign 100 days from the date of the 2011 World Cup, “The ONE Campaign.” The significance of THE ONE Campaign is to provide the team with the support to be THE number ONE team in the world, to achieve THE ONE mission of raising ONE million dollars, and THE ONE goal of winning the 2011 Power Chair Football World Cup. THE ONE will achieve these goals with the support of hundreds and thousands of advocates for the US National Power Soccer Team by using social media as our tool for promoting the sport of Power Soccer. To learn more, please visit http://www.theonepowersoccer.com.
These athletes and staff are proud to represent the US at the World Cup. The team is depending on the success of this campaign. I hope you will help in what ever way you can. 

Original Source: http://www.sportsandsocialchange.org/index.php/featured-organization