Organised by Story
Back in 2024, Rotherham United Community Trust hit a huge milestone, kicking off our brand-new Powerchair Football sessions at Rotherham Leisure Centre, and we did it in style. The big launch on Saturday 6th April saw over 50 people turn up, including friends from the Sheffield & Hallamshire FA and the Wheelchair Football Association, all showing their support for this exciting new chapter.
Powerchair Football is the only active team sport that’s fully inclusive for wheelchair users and people with severe mobility impairments. It’s quick, skilful and seriously competitive, and now, thanks to RUCT, it’s here in Rotherham and free to play until at least 2026.
And we didn’t waste any time making history. The Millers’ Powerchair side travelled to Leeds for their first-ever mini tournament, taking on Leeds Powerchair FC. It was a proud day – not just for the players and their families, but for the club and the town. We’re the first and only Powerchair Football team in South Yorkshire, and our participants did us proud with their teamwork, determination and pure Millers spirit.
One of our players, Rowan, is 11 and has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. His mum, Laura, told us what the team means to him:
Rowan has been playing Powerchair Football every two weeks with the Rotherham United Community Trust team for well over a year now. The group gives him the opportunity to take part in a regular sporting activity for those with disabilities, which we’d found hard to come by in South Yorkshire. We’d found there were plenty of regular activities for his younger siblings but none for Rowan as a wheelchair user with complex needs.
Being part of the Powerchair Football team has massively increased his confidence and has given him a way of expressing himself through sport. The group provides a safe space for Rowan to be himself and he has thrived.
He has made new friends and enjoys spending time with all the amazing coaches. The coaching team not only help with the technical aspects of Powerchair Football, they have also helped build Rowan’s confidence and he has learnt some important skills from them around being resilient and working as a team. The coaches and team also give Rowan the opportunity to express his emotions freely, which is important for his mental health.
The twice monthly sessions are great for us parents too as we get to spend time talking with other families that are going through similar things to us. Powerchair Football runs twice a month and it’s about more than just the game – it’s about giving everyone a chance to pull on the Millers badge, get stuck in, and feel part of the team.