The wheelchairs are finely-honed for the Hollister Free Wheelers
power soccer team to defend their national title. The club travels
to Birmingham, Alabama May 30-31 for the nationals.
The wheelchairs are finely-honed for the Hollister Free Wheelers power soccer team to defend its national title. The club travels to Birmingham, Alabama May 30-31 for the nationals. Unfortunately, because of financial restrictions, only the ‘A’ team will make the trip. The ‘B’ Free Wheelers, which also won a national title last year, are, for the moment, unable to defend their title.
The Free Wheelers, who have a match vs. the San Jose Steamrollers May 17 at 10 a.m. at Marguerite Maze Middle School, are coached and directed by the husband-wife team of Don and Sue Jones. Don, who has coached other wheelchair sports in other towns, serves as coach, while Sue does many of the behind-the-scenes duties. For one, Sue is the secretary of the recently-formed non-profit organization.
Don has an educational background in Adaptive Physical Education. Sue’s educational background is ins Therapeutic Recreation.
“We like to give back to people,” said Sue, who helped found the club in 1997. “Mainly, this was started to give people a chance to be part of a team who normally wouldn’t have that chance. I really wish people would come watch these games. If they would, they would see how exciting they are.”
The game is played on a basketball court with four players, counting a goalie, on each team. The ball is 19 inches tall. The object is to push it past the endline marked by cones.
“The games are like hockey,” said Sue. “The scores are usually low like 2-1 or 1-0, but sometimes they are like 13-8, depending on the level of competition.”
Sue admits that an occasional accident happens.
“I’ve seen it where a player is tipped out of his wheelchair three times,” she said.
The season runs September to June. There are only two other teams in the area – San Jose and Berkeley. The ‘B’ team defeated Berkeley in last year’s title game, which was played in Mesa, Arizona, the venue for the past two years. Mesa is much more doable than Birmingham as far as monies go.
“It was so easy for us last year,” said Sue. “We had 40 of family and friends in our entourage. All told, there were 200 people watching.”
Steve Vasquez, an adaptive P.E. teacher in Hollister, helps coach the ‘B’ team.
“Sometimes at tournaments, the teams play at the same and we need help with this,” said Sue.
Right now, there are six players on the ‘A’ team and eight players on the ‘B’ team. Sue estimates that it takes “$600-$700 per person” to go to Birmingham. The ‘A’ team is covered.
If interested in helping the ‘B’ team head to the deep south, call Don at (831) 724-5544, ext.15, or (831) 320-3363.
