PHOENIX — A power soccer tournament in the Valley featured some of the best teams in the entire country.
The Phoenix Rising Power Soccer Invitational also opened the court for power wheelchair players to get competitive in a game that’s popular around the world.
Power soccer is an action-packed sport that athlete Jayden Chaban travels all over for. Her travels, however, are not just for the competition rush.
“Being in a wheelchair I don’t get a lot of opportunity to compete," Chaban said. "There’s not a lot of sports I can play, so it’s great to have that and be a part of a team.”
This weekend, Chaban and other Phoenix Rising Invitational players like John Beaubien, are going head-to-head in their modified power wheelchairs.
“This sport is awesome," Beaubien said. "When you get out on the court you can feel the adrenaline pumping. You see your teammates around you. It’s a huge thrill.”
Athlete and coach, Tony Jackson, said power soccer is the biggest team sport for people to use power wheelchairs around the world. And for people who use the chairs, it's independence.
“A lot of us need help in our daily lives just generally speaking to live, but when we’re out on the court and we’re playing we don’t need any help," Jackson said. "We don’t need anything.”
Power soccer follows the rules of the outdoor game, with some modifications for the power wheelchairs.
“It’s literally just the skill of the player at that point," Jackson said. "It doesn’t matter if you can use your arms outside of your soccer chair. It doesn’t matter if you can use one or both legs outside of your soccer chair. When you’re in that soccer chair, everybody is using the same equipment.”
Teams are co-ed and all-ages, and the games get competitive.
“Athlete might not be the thing people think of when they see us, but we are out here and we are athletes and we are competing," Jackson said.
To get involved with power soccer here in Phoenix, contact Ability360. The games run January 12-14 and admission is free.
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