Some of you may have read my blog of a few weeks ago, when I detailed a mild disagreement I had with the President of Reading University Inline Hockey Society (or, the Reading Knights Inline Hockey Club). In short, I got myself into a situation where I had to turn up, to prove my point – the point being that my crutches didn’t stop me from participating. Well, it had been about a fortnight; the dreaded email didn’t turn up. A facebook add and a quiet reminder didn’t make that email come any faster. I thought that perhaps, just maybe, I’d gotten out of it so I spent this week sorting out my life, getting rid of clothes and doing coursework.
Turns out, I had no such luck. This email turned up on Wednesday evening, giving me just enough time to prepare - practice was on Friday. I pretty much left it til Friday, and found out that my friend Catherine was working, and couldn’t make it with me. This posed a new problem, going to a new club where I knew no-one but maybe the president. I stand out enough as it is, without a massive crutch making it obvious. At first, I was completely ready to chicken out, but some other part of me insisted that I go and keep my word.
I know very little about hockey, I didn’t even know what to wear! And anything that could have been relatively appropriate I’d donated to the charity shop not four hours earlier. Also, I’d lost all of my bandages and supports that I need for participating in physically demanding activities (Dad, if you’re reading - yes, I do need to tidy my bedroom). I was off to a great start. Eventually I turned up, bandaged from below the ankle to above the knee and crutches at the ready. Well, I only needed one, but still. I had to answer a lot of questions regarding the crutch. Mainly from other surprised members, but I still didn’t turn around and run away.
When we got there, I got my skates on and it was in that moment I realised I hadn’t ‘skated’ since I was about 7. That didn’t really count; I was being dragged hand in hand by my two older brothers as they zoomed along. That’s not skating, that’s how you transport luggage on wheels. Everyone else was skating with ease, looking like they were an extra from the Mighty Ducks film. I, on the other hand, was stuck to the walls, terrified. I actually found standing in skates and moving easier than I find walking unaided, and I used my crutch to aid me with balance when I was first starting off. The relaxed atmosphere meant I was able to take rest breaks when I needed to, without making a massive fuss. By the end of it, I could glide in my skates – without my crutch – and had figured out how to hold a hockey stick, make passes and receive them. One of the kind gentlemen there also told me that I could lean on my hockey stick if I needed to, so that eased my fears about being without a crutch on skates. Apparently, I have a really strong shot – something I would never have guessed considering the surgery I had on my right shoulder less than a year ago.
We finished off with a game of netball (I’m not joking, we played netball on skates), and then had a match at the end. I’m proud to say that I scored the first goal of the game, and am definitely going back. I did think this was going to kill me, and those who have access to our facebooks may have seen me cry as much all over Suzi’s wall.
The great thing about participating in sports with a disability is that you really understand how to make it accessible, and you see the problems people may face whilst playing. Balance, is one. Most definitely, but you get used to it! Many people with disabilities spend their lives learning how to adapt, and iDID gives the chance for people to try something new, to go on an adventure. Sports can be so accessible, it’s just about knowing how.
Before last night, I had no idea if I’d be able to play hockey. The last time was perhaps when I was 12 and on the girl’s school pitches in PE. Now I know, yes, I can – because I already DID it.
Inline Hockey is the first of many sports iDID will be trialling in Reading University. Each sport will have a blog and an accessibility report, written at a later date.
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