Equipment

I need equipment: where do I go?

Like an able-bodied athlete without a disability carefully selects which running shoes or skates to participate with, a para-athlete needs to be fitted for the sport wheelchair they will use, which sprint leg they run on, or which model of hockey sledge they will skate in.

Before you invest in equipment, be sure to try several parasports to find the one that most excites you. It is important to use the right equipment when you try a parasport to ensure you have a positive experience and get a good feel for the game. Remember; buying equipment is an investment so it may take some time before you know what equipment is just right for you. Talk to your club and teammates about the equipment they use and where they got it.

How can I get funding for equipment?

Start local. Contact service clubs in your community such as Kiwanis, Optimist, Rotary Clubs and Lions Clubs to find out what local financial support is available.

Local and provincial sport organizations can access funding for introductory parasport equipment through the Canadian Paralympic Committee's Para-Equipment Fund.

" The Para-Equipment Fund has helped our BC Sledge Hockey program increase the number of players that are training. New sleds have helped attract people to the program and coaches have observed an increase in skill level and speed during drills and scrimmages as direct result"

- Ross MacDonald, on behalf of Sportability BC (2005)

"I acquired a physical disability at a young age. Growing up, I was not able to experience snow sports. Recently, at the age of 40, I learned to ski through the Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports (VASS) program! A skier with a disability should learn & try the sport before buying their own equipment (sit ski and outriggers) which can be expensive. Their program allows this opportunity."
- Jeff Standfield, VASS member (2007)