Greater than 100 wheelchair soccer athletes from round the USA competed within the Nice Lakes Adaptive Sports activities Affiliation’s house event Aug. 13 and 14 on the Faculty of Lake County in Grayslake.
Wheelchair soccer athletes try to pursue “pushing what’s doable for folks with disabilities and exhibiting that soccer is for everybody,” stated Karalyn Stott, senior program supervisor with Transfer United, a nonprofit and a companion of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
“These guys have been competing their hearts out this weekend.”
The GLASA Chicago Bears staff hosted its first USA Wheelchair Soccer League house event and got here in fourth place of seven groups. The Inexperienced Bay Packers staff took the primary place champion trophy.
This was the second yr of USA Wheelchair Soccer League event play.
GLASA is a nonprofit group primarily based in Lake Forest that gives greater than 20 adaptive and paralympic sports activities year-round, together with the GLASA Chicago Bears aggressive staff and leisure wheelchair soccer.
The USA Wheelchair Soccer League is a program of Transfer United made doable by assist from the Nationwide Soccer League (NFL) and Bob Woodruff Basis (BWF) partnership.
The event competitors kicked off on Saturday morning with two fields of play working concurrently via the day in reconfigured parking tons. On Sunday, the climate was overcast and 67 levels for the two p.m. championship video games.
“Simply to showcase the athletes, simply to showcase the game of wheelchair soccer, it’s wonderful,” stated Cindy Housner of Wadsworth, GLASA government director and founder.
“We’ve had followers come out from all around the Midwest, truly, the nation, and it’s an ideal alternative to essentially develop the game of wheelchair soccer.”
Chicago Bears alumnus Kaseem Sinceno of Chicago’s Logan Sq. neighborhood served as honorary coach for the GLASA Chicago Bears throughout Sunday’s sport.
“Being an NFL athlete, I see guys which might be injured and have various things occur on a regular basis,” Sinceno stated. “So when you will have a everlasting damage like this, it’s necessary to return out, simply assist the fellows and allow them to know that we’re with them.
“They’ve obtained large hearts, they nonetheless love the sport,” Sinceno stated. “They’re nonetheless prepared to do no matter it takes to get on the sector, even when it’s in a wheelchair.”
The GLASA Chicago Bears wheelchair soccer staff coach is Jason Sfire of North Barrington, GLASA board president.
Being related to the Chicago Bears “is a lifelong dream,” stated Sfire, who performed varsity soccer, tennis and wrestling at Lake Zurich Excessive Faculty and graduated in 1992.
Brian Pezze of Streamwood, a newcomer GLASA Chicago Bears wheelchair staff participant, served in the USA Marine Corps within the late 2000s.
“It’s enjoyable, it’s thrilling,” Pezze stated about being on the staff.
Gustavo Silva of Crystal Lake, supervisor of youth soccer and neighborhood packages for the Chicago Bears, stated the Bears have had a relationship with GLASA for a few years.
“So final yr, once we heard that GLASA was going to be one of many inaugural groups to have a wheelchair soccer staff, they usually wished to be known as the Chicago Bears, we have been excited to companion with them. We have been capable of achieve them the rights to be known as the Chicago Bears. We have been simply excited they usually have been simply comfortable for the connection.”
He defined that GLASA has the identical type of targets the Bears have.
“Our targets are to develop the sport of soccer by making it extra inclusive, by making it accessible and by making it equitable. And that’s precisely what wheelchair soccer is,” Silva added.
Sfire acknowledged the Chicago Bears.
“Unbelievable large thanks (to the Bears),” Sfire stated. “They simply consider us as an extension of them and that’s an honor.”
()