Dale McLeod (Vancouver, BC), Keith Knight (Surrey, BC), Stratton Whitaker (Richmond, BC), Daniel Cunningham (Penticton, BC), Luke Galvani (West Vancouver, BC), Ana Lu (Vancouver, BC), Diane Lu (Vancouver, BC), Jordan Marks (Anmore, BC), Shayne De Wildt (NorthVancouver, BC), Lareina Yung (Vancouver, BC), Vanessa Chen (Vancouver, BC), Ian Wright (Kelowna, BC), Sarah Limoge (Montreal, QC), Emilie St. Denis Laroche (Lachute, QC), Patrick Des Groseillers (Repentigny, QC) and Jean Phillipe Bureau (Longueuil, QC).

In late October 2011, for the first time ever, Canada will send 8 team Canada players to the FIPFA World Cup in Paris, France. The 8 players who will represent Canada in the FIPFA World Cup will be officially named by Coach Gordon Marks towards the end of June.

“It is with emotion, great pleasure, and honor that Canada, one of FIPFA’s founding countries, sends a team to the second Powerchair Football World Cup. A team that inspires pride. It is another important step for our sport. The results already surpass our modest ambitions. I wish all athletes a great tournament.” – Claude Guilbault, President of PFC.

This year the Federation plans to organize in Paris, along with the 2nd FIPFA World Cup, an international conference to explore Powerchair Football to which countries currently outside FIPFA will be invited. This is part of a four-year development plan. (Read more about the plan…).

We appeal to your generosity to help with the funding for this conference, which is essential to bring this sport to more children and young people.

To support our work please “donate” to FIPFA. A tax receipt will be sent automatically *.

The counter below is used to display the amount of donations collected. Feel free to have a look at our website to learn more about the Federation and our sport.

We count on you … the ball is in your court!

One step closer to the World Cup has been crossed yesterday when FIPFA has exclusively presented the new official World Champions Trophy

At the same time, FIPFA has revealed the official logo and first poster of the World Cup produced by the Federation Française Handisport and the Local Organisation Commettee.

Day after day, the 2011 FIPFA World Cup in Paris is becoming more and more concrete!

Enjoy the pictures…

THE WORLD CUP TROPHY

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THE OFFICIAL WORLD CUP LOGO

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THE OFFICIAL WORLD CUP POSTER (first version)

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The FA invited the team to Wembley, watch a training session and share experience with the players.

The WFA squad includes:

Jon Bolding (London) – Captain

Nicky Baker (Harrow)

Stevie Pearson (Watford)

Charlie Kitcher (Milton Keynes)

Chris Gordon (Stourbridge)

Daniel Kay (Birmingham)

Faye Stevenson (Durham)

Rob Thompson (Newcastle)

Edward Common (Hexham)

Harry Boddy (South Shields)

Ricky Stevenson, chair of the WFA said “Being invited here today shows just how far the sport of Powerchair Football has grown over the last six years.  It is down to the dedication and hard work of all the volunteers, players and parents involved in our national game.  To all our players, this is football – just on wheels”.

The WFA National Team is in the process of preparing for the 2^nd FIPFA World Cup that will take place in France in October this year.

WFA National Team Head Coach, Allen Harrison said “This is a fantastic opportunity for my players to speak to England Internationals and learn how it feels to represent their country.  The hard work and dedication all these players will see them compete against the best players in the world.  To play in a World Cup finals in the pinnacle of any footballers dream”.

This squad of ten players will be training over the coming months, with the lucky eight heading to Paris later this year.

Squad captain, Jon Bolding said “I have been lucky to play the sport for a number of years.  I have dreamt that one day I would be able to lead of my country to pit my wits against the best of the Powerchair footballing world”.

The WFA would like to thank the FA and the England Team for this unforgettable experience.

The recent controversy with the suspension of three players previously invited to Winter Clinic seriously affected the French Powerchair Football Community and especially the Team France. Due to this unexpected situation, everybody wanted to know what was the reaction of the group. With Team France staff decision to call back Anthony Bastien, Brahim Sebiane and Xavier Carcault in order to replace the suspended players. Bernard Berthouloux, French National Coach, was extremely happy that the three “new” players reached his expectation during this intensive week where the players demonstrated their strength and talent. To illustrate the dedication of this group, Tuesday seems to be a perfect example because they practiced during 8h on the row. Jean Paul Moreau, the General Secretary of the F.F.H., was enthusiastic after attending the “night” practice session. No one can predict the future but Team France can be proud of the reserve of player ready to step up to respond to wear the National Team jersey.

This kind of event also required the commitment of all participants. Thanks to the players, staff and club which accepted to play a major role in this successful day. Team France congratulated all for the strong challenges it had to face. Team France is successful and it is a warm comfort to see that anyone from the “foot-fauteuil” community is ready to support the National Team on its quest to the excellence.

The training for World Cup is on right way. Even if few details needs to be adjusted on the technical area, the team spirit is amazing in this group. The inclusion of the players called again to substitute the three suspended ones were easy due to the perfect behavior of all. On this matter, the coaching staff worked during this Winter Clinic and they may reinsure about their choices. The french team has now a rendezvous in two months at Bourges to pursue this incredible journey…

In 2010 Powerchair Football section carried out:

1.      Trainings were held once a week , around 30 training units for 8 players.

2.      Winter camp with Powerchair Football activities for 10 players (February).

3.      Summer camp in Bondyrz with Powerchair Football activities for 20 players from Lublin, Warszawa and Wrocław (July – August).

4.      The demonstration of Powerchair Football`s potential to players and counselors
from Biała Cerkiew (Ukraine) in Bondyrz (August)  .

5.      Lectures about Powerchair Football during conference in Ukraine for 100 therapists
and representatives of rehabilitation centers which are gathered in organization
“Sieć Liderów”.

6.      The sport festival of Boccia, Race Runner and Powerchair Football for 300 disabled people
from Poland (October).

7.      Football match Poland vs. Ukraine during the sport festival (October).

Plans for 2011:

1.      To set up a Polish Federation of People with Cerebral Palsy for Powerchair Football, Boccia, Race Runner (February – April).

2.      A joint initiative with Biała Cerkiew (Ukraine) to organize the demonstration
of a Powerchair Football match during EURO 2012 and to establish contacts
with Football Associations from Poland and Ukraine (February – December).

3.      To make continuous endeavors to acquire sport wheelchairs.

4.      The arrival of FIPFA`s coach to Zamość (July – August).

5.      A training camp for players from Warszawa, Poznań, Lublin and Wrocław (July – August).

6.      A Polish coach on an internship at FIPFA.

7.      To organize an East European Conference on Powerchair Football, Boccia and Race Runner; to send invitations to the World authorities of this disciplines, Polish Ministry, disabled centers and guests from Ukraine (October).

Our successes:

1.      Regular trainings for 8-10 players.

2.      Arousing interests of possible players in Poland

3.      The interests of activists and players from Biała Cerkiew (Ukraine), Łuck
and Kamieniec Podolski.

4.      Public interests (media)  in Powerchair Football in Poland.

5.      The purchase of two Powerchair Football balls.

Our failures:

1.      Lack of funds to purchase wheelchairs for Powerchair Football.

2.      Lack of support from Polish Government.

3.      A small group of trained players in Powerchair Football in 2010; around 30 players.

The last training camp was also held in Birmingham. The team could not have asked for a better training facility. The staff was helpful and friendly. The dorms were accessible. The gym was perfect. With the Olympic rings hanging in the background, Team USA was constantly reminded at what level they are playing at. World champions have practiced in those gyms, and Team USA is next in the power soccer world.

At the upcoming camp, the team will be missing a member; Matt Griffin of Indiana has stepped down from the team due to overwhelming work and school obligations. Matt decided that he could not give the team as much time as he wanted and respectfully stepped down.

The coaches have been working hard to push the athletes at every training camp in an effort to make sure that everyone is giving their best, and challenging them to be better. The team has now completed sixty eight weeks of drills focusing on accuracy, power, and court positioning. A camp every two months isn’t enough time to prepare a national team. These drills help the camps get started quicker by ensuring that everyone is on the same page. Aside from doing weekly drills, the players have to communicate with each other often to bring the team closer together, on and off the court. Communication is an integral part of an unstoppable, cohesive team.

Defending the title of World Champions is not an easy task, but these eleven athletes are ready for the challenge. Everyone is ready to leave everything on the court and show the world why they were chosen to represent the country.

From Team USA website

Among the participating coaches was Matt Cross from Australia, along with numerous Singapore players, coaches and refgerees. They will probably benefit in the near future for the valuable technical advice received. They certainly took great pleasure in practicing the sport, judging by warm and broad smiles on their faces after three intensive days in the gym.

Meanwhile, Chris Mulholland, Head of International Refereeing at FIPFA, was also present in Singapore, to provide extensive training on the specific aspects of refereeing in Powerchair Football. Twenty men in black with local experiences as Futsal referees received training to help them realise their wish to invest now in our game.

By mobilizing substantial resources, Singapore has demonstrated its interest in Powerchair Football and the quality of its work impressed on the Delegation from FIPFA that Powerchair Football and Singapore is a story that deserves to be continued. This is good news for Asia, where Japan will no longer feel alone. Present also in Singapore, President of FIPFA Hervé Delattre did not hide his satisfaction: “We lived in Singapore one week just as strong in Atlanta in 2006 when we created FIPFA. Everyone has done an incredible job for the good of Powerchair Football. We will keep great memories of Singapore!” he said at the traditional ceremony of thanks at the end. Nobody wanted to leave then and this is always a good sign!

See for yourself on CNN Website

Extended videos of the America’s Cup, with the Top Ten Goals, are still available here !