LOCAL lad Ethan Backhurst has recently been awarded a brand new sports powerchair in order to pursue his powerchair football aspirations.
Ethan, who plays for Frome Falcons Power Football Club at Frome Sport and Fitness, has been playing the sport for nearly 3 years. A spokesperson for the club said, “He came to some of the first taster sessions held at the Frome Youth Centre in 2018 and since then has shown considerable progress with his development. What has always held Ethan back however is the equipment he has had to use. Not only was his previous chair old and second hand, it also compromised his safety due to the chair not fitting him properly to protect his spine.
“Thanks to full funding from Variety, The Children’s Charity, Ethan is now the very proud owner of a Strikeforce, regarded as the best powerchair in the sport. It is perfectly tailored to his body shape and absolutely maximises his safety. With football training resuming in April 2021 for the first time in over a year, Ethan cannot wait to attend sessions and show off his new chair and skills.”
Assistant coach Alex Johnson, pictured with Ethan, commented, “It is such great news that Ethan now has a Strikeforce and we are very grateful to Variety for funding it. The new chair will mean Ethan can accelerate quicker, move faster, and turn sharper than ever before. This is so important to Ethan’s future in the sport if he wants to compete at the highest level possible”.
Frome Falcons Powerchair Football Club are the only club of its kind in Somerset and is specifically for people with physical disabilities. Please enquire with Head Coach Jenny Rutter (Jenny@novasportsandcoaching.co.uk / 07880 743453) if you would like more information, or search for @fromefalconspfc on Facebook.
