Disabled Sports - FIPFA - Powerchair Football International Federation » Testimonies

Tristan Delmas: “My heart beats for Montauban”

Nicolas Dubes — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:25:34 +0000

Tristan Delmas joined the Atlanta Synergy club 15 days ago and he has received a warm welcome from his new teammates. Atlanta Synergy and Tristan Delmas, who is also a member of the French National team agree on a one season contract. It was very difficult for Tristan to leave his former club Montauban, who have been the top European club for the past five years. Tristan views this as a once in a life time opportunity for him to learn a new way of playing soccer, or powerchair football as they would say in France. He also is excited to learn and experience the American culure and way of life. Tristan says he is loving it so far.

FIPFA: « Tristan Delmas: You have now been in Atlanta for 2 weeks, where you will join your Team France teammate Jerome {Pika}Durand for a season. How did the Atlanta Synergy club present the idea of you joining their club? Why did you finally decide to leave Montauban? »

Tristan Delmas: The first conversation came during the last Team France camp in Vichy. I talked with Jerome Durand and David Ruelas(side notes: David Ruelas is the Director of Operations for the Fernando Foundation which sponsors the Atlanta Synergy club). David Ruelas was at our camp. He told me they were looking for a player to bring some new energy to their team and they would like me to join them. I thought about it very carefully and decided that I must take this opportunity now because it probably won’t come around a second time. I had never left Montauban for another club.I’m very exicited about coming to the United States because I will discover a new culture and a different way to play power soccer. On a personal note this will be a very interesting experience for me. I will have the chance to learn a new language because I don’t really speak English that well. I will also live in a different country and culture. I feel very comfortable because my friend Pika is here with me and he helps me a lot. Honestly I would have never left Montauban for another French or European club. However, you cannot turn down an opportunity like this one. I left the best European club to join a world class organization. When I see what we have here I am amazed. Everything is designed to put you in the best position to succeed. I am confident I will come back to France a stronger person after my experience here… I was really impressed by the team resources. When I arrived on the first day, they brought me downtown to have a nice dinner, and then we went to their wheelchair shop in order to set and tune my power soccer wheelchair. This is like beening apart of a professional soccer club.

FIPFA: How is the transition to a new team and country working out for you so far?

Tristan Delmas: Honestly its going great! Despite the language problem, everyone works to make me feel comfortable and part of the team. The ACC is very close and I need to be ready soon. I feel confident in my new team. I also live with my friend and teammate Pika, who has made things so much easier. He is a coach/player on the court. Off the court he is my translator, driver, and even helps me with my care also.He is awesome and without him my transition would have been more complicated. People are very available and they work make me feel at home. I use sign language sometimes to communicate and we are able to understand each other. My english is also improving each day and I know I will be speaking english when I come back home to France. Everyone is willing to do anything to solve my difficulties. I got a wheelchair issue and I was impressed how quickly the problem was solved.

FIPFA: What are the main differences between France and USA on the sports aspect?

Tristan Delmas: It’s clearly the resources. Its almost unreal when you see how many people are available to assist us during our team practices, also the resources for the equipment we use. Everything is organized well from practice management, chair maintenance management, etc … I practice 8 hours a week. Could you imagine?!? No French club can access a gymnasium 3 times a week for 2,5 hours. I feel like I play a league game at each practice because we have a referee and video recorder if we need to film. The Tigers (side notes: the other team of the Fernando Foundation) is a serious challenger each practice We also scrimmage more here.We don’t have all these resources in France. Montauban is a very professional club, but here everything is designed for soccer.You’re basically breathing soccer here and it’s amazing to be apart of this club.

FIPFA: You are going to play your first game with Atlanta Synergy in a week at the Americas Champions Cup in Canada. How will you approach this event?

Tristan Delmas: I am very confident and I know why I am here. I have two goals to acommplish here. First is to help Atlanta Synergy repeat as ACC champions and keep the continental trophy they earned last year. Second is to help bring the club the one trophy which has been missing, the USPSA Championship. We can reach our goals and it’s my job to help the team and show them it wasn’t a mistake to bring me here. Now for the Americas Cup, we might not be as sharp for this competition because we haven’t spent a lot of time together to build our chemistry due to some issues. I am very confident in my new teammates and I’m sure will play good together.

FIPFA: Do you have any last words for your fans in France and your ex-teammates in Montauban?

Tristan Delmas: Even if I left for a short period of time, my heart still beats for Niocoboc! Montauban, this is and will always be « my » club. I will be their number one fan for this season. I have signed a season contract with Atlanta Synergy but I will be back next season… I’ll meet up with you again soon!

Aimé Jacquet / World Champion French Football Coach

Fipfa — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:08:07 +0000

In December, 1996 I first met football players in electric wheelchairs, at Clairefontaine. Being extremely interested and curious to see how these young people played football in their strange contraptions, I went to watch their championship final a couple of months later. To see them play with so much dexterity and enthusiasm, the idea of disability quickly disappeared and I discovered true sportsmen! Since then I have become one of their most passionate supporters and I have had the pleasure of attending matches to encourage them many times. With the internationalisation of Wheelchair Football, these amazing sportsmen will discover the attraction of high level competition, and it is with great joy that I accompany them, encourage them, and renew my support. I warmly congratulate this young International Federation, and wish them huge success.

Nicky BAKER, English Player

Hervé Delattre — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:10:51 +0000

For a while I had been following football and watching my sister play regularly, I loved watching but wished I could play. I never had the opportunity until Powerchair football was introduced in England. From the moment I touched a ball, I knew this was the sport for me. I was excited as I played my first game and was also lucky enough to have some natural talent for the game. The more I played, the more the opportunities I wanted to play. I loved the game so much I did a coaching qualification so I could help spread the game and teach others to play it. I have been lucky enough to represent England previously and the honour and joy of putting on your countries shirt.

However. Powerchair football has its downs too. I didn’t make the England team for the first world cup, which had been my dream to play in since I started playing six years before. At this point, it felt like my world had come crashing down around me. But I used this as leverage to go on and achieve more within the sport. My team are currently top of the national league and I’m the vice-captain.

Powerchair football has given me happiness, sadness, tears and excitement. But most of all it’s given me a sense of what can be achieved and nothing is impossible.

Mickael ARCHER, American player

Hervé Delattre — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 09:18:28 +0000

Power soccer is very challenging to me because it makes me have to think about every second that I’m on the court and know exactly where to be and when to hit the ball. I have to be able to maneuver my chair very well to be able to place the ball where it needs to be, whether it is passing or scoring. Power soccer has made a big difference in my life. I have become more confident in every aspect of my life. Growing up and watching my sister play softball at a high level, I never through I would be able to do anything like that. Now, the fact that I am part of this high level competitive team is a dream come true. When I play power soccer, I feel so pumped by the challenge of the game and I have learned so much from my teammates, opponents, and my current coach, who happens to be my dad. These individuals make me strive to be a better player and a better person. To be part of the USA National Power Soccer Team is the biggest honor I’ve ever had. Representing my country along with my fellow teammates is so very exciting. You have many opportunities throughout your life but there are some dreams you think you will never get to do. It is still so unbelievable to me to see this dream become a reality.