Hillsborough County was awarded the bid to host the national tournament based on the strength and national recognition of the Paralympic Sport Tampa Bay program, and on a high-quality bid packet.
Power Soccer is the first competitive team sport designed and developed specifically for power wheelchair users.
These athletes include persons with quadriplegia, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, head trauma, stroke, spinal cord injury, and other disabilities.
This sport combines the skill of the wheelchair user with the speed and power of the chair itself, to participate in an extremely challenging game similar to soccer. The game is played in a gymnasium on a regulation basketball court. Two teams of four power wheelchair users attack, defend, and spin-kick a 13-inch soccer ball in an attempt to score goals.
About Paralympic Sport Tampa Bay
As a signature program of the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Department, Paralympic Sport Tampa Bay provides year-round sports and recreation programs that promote physical activity, healthy lifestyles, and recreational and competitive sports opportunities for area children and adults with physical disabilities. This is one of more than 140-community based sports programs established by the Paralympic Division of the United States Olympic Committee. Click on this link to view photos.
About The United States Power Soccer Association
The United States Power Soccer Association (USPSA) governs the sport of power soccer in the United States. The USPSA promotes power soccer on a national and international level through tournament play, referee certification, training and growth. It is the mission and hope of the USPSA that all persons with disabilities who use power wheelchairs will have the opportunity to play and experience power soccer. Power soccer is a team sport that helps build character through teamwork, communication, hard work, perseverance, good sportsmanship. The USPSA is also committed to make power soccer an internationally-recognized sport that will one day be in the Paralympics.
(See schedule for Crossfire)