Ottawa electric wheelchair hockey growing in popularity
By Roberta Bell and Sarah Turnbull There were only half a dozen players when the Ottawa Power Wheelchair Hockey League was launched in 2009. Now there are more than 40. That’s enough for four full teams —the Sharks, Gators, Bears and Wolves—who meet Sunday afternoons to play at the Greenboro Community Centre. Dimpho Tshegetsang, the captain of the Gators, has been playing electric-wheelchair hockey since 2010. “When Sunday comes, I just switch my mind,” Tshegetsang said. “I really love the game because… people with disabilities using the mobile chairs are getting the chance to play the game as other people who are physically fit.” Players use wheelchairs for different reasons, but according to the league’s website, the majority have cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy. Wheelchair hockey isn’t that different from the conventional game. Players zip around in their chairs, trying to rack up points. There are hits, both clean and unclean, and penalties to boot. Different from the original game, the wheelchair version has 15-minutes periods, instead of 20....
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