The Cheshire County FA, in partnership with the Cheshire Disability Football Forum and the Cheshire & Warrington Sports Partnership are running for season 2008-09 the Cheshire Ability Counts Fixture Programme.
The fixture programme has been set up in the attempt to provide quality competitive experiences and opportunities for all disabled footballers in Cheshire, with aspirations to support the development on an official Cheshire Ability Counts league in the forthcoming seasons.
The fixtures are played on a Pan Disability basis, and are NOT ability banded. Pan Disability football is about creating opportunities for footballers with varying levels of ability and varying impairments to compete in the same environment. Players, coaches and managers involved in the fixture programme commit to making it work by agreeing to the principles of pan disability football and not abusing them.
Teams who enter the fixture programme are also strongly advised where possible to have a cross representative team with players from varying impairment categories i.e. players who have an impairment such as: Amputee, Hearing Impairment, Learning Disability, Physical Disability, Visual Impairment etc. The only players not considered suitable to compete in the fixture programme are blind and wheelchair users, due to health and safety issues to all participants.
The football rules for the fixture programme have been adapted from Mini-Soccer and Small-Sided football to meet the needs of the players and allow them to:
· Feel success
· Take an active part in the game
· Learn to play as a team
· Understand the Laws
· Develop new skills
· Participate in fixtures, whatever their ability
· Increase fitness
Teams
The Cheshire Ability Counts Fixture Programme currently play a 4 year age banding for the fixtures within the following categories -
Under 16s Boys - All players within the Team must have achieved the age of 12 and no older than 15 years of age by 31st August 2008.
Under 12s Mixed – All players within the Team must have achieved the age of 8 and no older than 11 years of age by 31st August 2008.
The following clubs enter teams into the fixture programme – Witton Albion JFC, Blue Blazers FC, Tranmere Rovers FC, Lammack JFC, Ellesmere Port All Abilities and Crewe Alex.
If you are interested in entering a team into the fixture programme or to find your local opportunities please contact Stephanie Knott on 01606 871155 or Stephanie.knott@cheshirefa.com.
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