“This is a major move in our work to grow power soccer in our area and continue efforts to make soccer more inclusive and accessible to people of varying abilities,” said Michael Kane, Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute Adaptive Sports and Recreation manager.
Power soccer players use wheelchairs to compete. MNUFC created the academy as a place where athletes who are interested in power soccer can learn the sport and gain the basic skills to possibly join a local competitive power soccer program. On Sunday, Dec. 15, the new academy players, who range in age from 8 to 18, will officially sign to MNUFC, receive their new jerseys, get name plates for the back of their power soccer wheelchairs and take official team photos in the MNUFC locker room.
“We are thrilled to be one of the first clubs to form a Power Soccer Academy team and we take great pride in continuing our efforts in making our sport more inclusive to all youth soccer players across Minnesota,” said MNUFC Chief Development Officer Manny Lagos. “We see the addition of the Power Soccer Academy as an excellent opportunity to continue to expand access to the power soccer community and ignite interest in the world’s game. It’s exciting to think that our power soccer athletes’ journey will now mirror the professional player pathway - from academy to first team - that all of our athletes experience. We look forward to the continued success of this program alongside the Allina Health Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute.”
Soccer is one of the most popular youth sports in the United States, yet five years ago, it was difficult to get enough players to field a power soccer team. With MNUFC signing Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute’s competitive players to its power soccer roster in 2022, the program has seen a boost in interest. The MNUFC Power Soccer team is still part of Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute’s adaptive sports and recreation program, and it has enjoyed tremendous success. The team won the Founders Conference at the U.S. Power Soccer Association’s national tournament in June 2023 and moved up to the Presidents Conference for the 2023-24 season.
“We are proud of the partnership with MNUFC and the growth of this sport in our area,” said Kane. “Power soccer gives children and adults a chance to be active and take part in a sport that is enjoyed around the world. It’s fun to watch, and it’s fun to play.”
With the addition of the Power Soccer Academy team, the power soccer program gets closer to mirroring MNUFC’s team structure. Minnesota United has a first and second team and an academy, comprised of development teams at the U15, U16 and U18 levels. The MNUFC Power Soccer Program now has a competitive (first) team and an academy. The newly formed power soccer academy team will register with the United States Power Soccer Association. Like the competitive team, the academy players will participate in games and tournaments across the region, and possibly across the nation.
Thanks to generous donations, the MNUFC Power Soccer team has a fleet of nine power soccer wheelchairs, which cost about $12,000 each. During games, each team plays three forwards and one goalie. The matches generally consist of two halves. Each half lasts about 20 minutes, and the mission is to get a 13-inch ball between two posts.