With the 2016 Paralympics all set to burst into action from 7-18 September, we are all reminded that inclusion within sport should be a fundamental right.
The German Hockey Federation (DHB) has been working hard to promote, support and develop hockey activities for people of all abilities. The result of many months of talks, planning sessions and promotion – dating back to January – was the annual Para-hockey tournament held at ETB Essen earlier this year.
Participants from 10 teams, representing five nations, took part in the event, with teams from Italy and Spain meeting in the final.
The Italian side emerged as the winner but every team left with a gift of 10 hockey sticks donated by the DHB. The tournament was administrated and officiated by the European Hockey Federation Youth Panel.
Taking the initiative a step further, the DHB has organised a meeting of groups and individuals interested in developing inclusive hockey further. Titled 'Themedays Parahockey and Inclusion', the meetings will span one and a half days in September, during which time the participants will discuss ways in which clubs, schools and associations can come together to promote hockey to a wider audience and get more people involved.
The discussions will include how to organise and run training sessions, support programmes for coaches and administrators, opportunities for different organisations to work together and share ideas and, of course, the chance for communication between different, but similarly motivated groups.
Speaking on behalf of the DHB, Linda Sandkaulen says: “Inclusion is a main topic within our society and is at the heart of development for kids and youth sports. Promotion and support, action and involvement all help people with handicaps to feel included in all aspects of life. Sport plays a crucial role here. Sporting activities lend themselves to inclusion. Sport can be played by people with and without handicaps with the same pleasure and the same emotions, it has the power, to connect people with each other on a natural basis.”
The DHB and other national hockey federations are working hard to grow Para-hockey. Sandkaulen adds that hockey offers so many opportunities for inclusive activities. It is the aim of the DHB to encourage all clubs in Germany to offer inclusive activities.
“There are so many possibilities to support the growth of Para-hockey and establish a range of possibilities and choices for people with handicaps in every sport," she says. "Hockey is a brilliant sport to train individual skills and the hockey family has the strength to encourage development.”
As Sandkaulen says: “The aims of the DHB to promote hockey to all participants, irregardless of their ability, is a core value of the FIH Hockey Revolution.”
The Euro Para-Hockey Championships will take place 17 – 20 August, 2017 in Amsterdam as part of the EuroHockey Championships 2017.
For further information about Para-hockey in your country, contact your National Association, all of whom can be found here.
FIH and the European Hockey Federation (EHF) have worked together to produce rules for Para-hockey. They can now be downloaded from the FIH website by clicking here, entitled Para-ID Hockey.
