Regional Powerchair Football League kicks off

On Sunday 4th October 2009, the North East Regional Powerchair Football League kicked off at the Percy Hedley Sports Academy. Five teams, all from within the Percy Hedley Powerchair Football scheme are competing over a series of six days for the trophy.

The league is based on recreational play and is aimed at ensuring all children and adults who train at the Sports Academy have the opportunity to play in competitive games outside of training. While the National League teams are also playing in the regional league there is a twist to the competition in that the more experienced teams will suffer forfeits and punishments for bad play.

Photo: Joyce Walton

The Trophy has been named in memoriam of Joyce Walton

The trophy that will be awarded to the winning team has this year been named The Joyce Walton Cup in memory of the grandmother of one of the Academy players, Anthony Golden. Joyce passed away suddenly a few weeks ago and in lieu of flowers at her funeral, the family asked for donations to be made instead to Northern Thunder and the Percy Hedley Sports Academy Powerchair Football scheme. Joyce was a keen supporter of the Powerchair Football and in all of the time that Anthony has trained at Percy Hedley has rarely, if ever missed a training session.

"This league is another step towards increasing the number of playing opportunities locally in the North East and is also brining competitive Powerchair Football competitions into the Sports Academy.

"The kindness and generosity of the family of Joyce Walton is also testament to the fact that the Sports Academy and the Foundation reaches many more people out there in the community and that is not just the actual disabled people who are affected, it transforms and changes families as well. Naming the trophy after Joyce was an easy decision as Joyce was a big supporter of what we do here and is sadly missed by us all." - Adam Parry, Sports Academy Manager

Further information regarding the Regional League can be found on the Calendar of Events on the Sports Academy Website

 

For further information about the Percy Hedley Sports Academy, please contact Adam Parry, Sports Development Officer on 0191 268 7116 or via e-mail at a.parry@percyhedley.org.uk.

 

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