Electric Wheelchair Hockey

In the early 1970’s a remarkable fact took place. In different places around the world, independent from each other, children with severe disabilities who used electric wheelchairs to get around, started to play a game with a ball and a stick. The Electric Wheelchair Hockey game just arose as the result of the abilities of the children, the available equipment, the enthusiasm of the (physical education) teacher and the cultural context.

In Western Europe (Germany, the Netherlands) it was named as Hockey, while Finland spoke about Floorball and Canada linked it with the Ice Hockey sport. In the eighties the first competitions were organised, which turned out to be the real kick-off for growth. The first international tournament took place in Germany in 1987, followed by many international encounters in many countries. Nowadays, on international level this sport is addressed as Electric Wheelchair Hockey (EWH).

EWH is a sport that has been developed by the athletes. This makes EWH a unique sport, since it completely meets the needs of the athletes’ capabilities. On international level, a team consists of five players, including a goalkeeper. Of course the sport is practised in electric wheelchairs. Technical skills with wheelchair, ball and stick are required. From a tactical perspective, tactics, such as screen setting, and playing systems from basketball have been adapted and used in EWH.

Athletes

The athletes who practise EWH are severely disabled and need electric wheelchairs to practice a team sport. Movement on the field is a central aspect of the game. The Athletes are very handy with their wheelchair and need to be skilful with the stick and the ball as well. Athletes who cannot hold a hand-held stick (due to restricted muscle strength or impairments in motor control) are allowed to play with a special stickthat is fastened to the wheelchair, the so-called ‘T-stick’, because of its form.

Criteria for the severity of functional

impairments (”minimal disability”) need to be met in order to be allowed to practice EWH.

Equipment

Playing field.

EWH is an indoor sport. The international playing field has a size of 16 x 26 metres and has a smooth surface. The playing field is surrounded by boundaries with a height of 20 cm. and rounded corners. The goalnets are placed in the field, like in ice hockey and floorball.

Sports equipment.

Of course, the athletes need an electric wheelchair. Since the end of the twentieth century many electric wheelchair manufacturers are developing these wheelchairs for specific sport purposes. The most frequently used hand-held sticks are those used in floorball, although some athletes use sticks made from lighter materials. The T-stick is made according set standards. EWH is played with a standard ‘plastic hole’ ball as used in floorball.

The international EWH movement

Although EWH was on the demonstration programme of the World Games for disabled in 1990 (Assen, the Netherlands) and the first World Games EWH took place in 1998 (Utrecht, the Netherlands), it was in 2002 when the international EWH movement was born. In April of that year, the first international conference EWH was organised; here the Committee International Federation ElectricWheelchair Hockey was founded. This committee was later renamed in the International Committee of Electric Wheelchair Hockey (ICEWH). In the following years several Sports Assemblies followed where international game rules, regulations and policy were approved. In June 2005, the ICEWH became officially part of the International Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS), which was  a real step forward.

One of the tasks of the ICEWH is to sanction a regular international EWH competition calendar. The dream is to become a Paralympic Sport in the future.

Events

The international EWH movement is started with two 4-Countries-Tournaments in the Netherlands 2002 and Belgium 2003. Thereafter the first World Championships EWH took place in 2004 (Finland) and the first European Championships EWH in 2005 (Italy), each with 7 participating National Teams. In 2006 (Netherlands), 2007 (Czech Republic) and 2008 (Australia) followed the first Development Events with courses for Referees, Trainer/Coaches and Athletes.

Referees have become their international Referee Licence. These events were great successes and proved the vibrancy of the international EWH movement.