Player and Parent Experiences with Child and Adolescent Power Soccer Sport Participation

Power soccer presents opportunities for young athletes who use power wheelchairs to experience competitive team sports. As the focus of rehabilitation is to enhance participation and quality of life, insight into the subjective experience of sport participation could broaden considerations for power wheelchair prescription and inform how therapists share information about community sports and other activities with families. Purpose: To provide insight into the experiences of power soccer players and their parents to inform rehabilitation practice. Methods: Primary data for this Interpretive Description study were individual interviews with five power soccer athletes, ranging from 11 to 17 years of age, and three parents of power soccer players. Observational field notes were also used. Results: Five inter-related themes were developed: 1) Level playing field, 2) I am an athlete, 3) Important "life lessons" are gained through team sports, 4) The value of belonging to a community, and 5) Role of the rehabilitation community in supporting power mobility sports. Conclusions: Findings of this study demonstrate the benefits and challenges of power sport participation. The results encourage therapists to share information about sport opportunities with families and to consider a broad range of contexts when assessing for power mobility.