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Meet Kai: Active through WheelPower Primary Sports Camps

Ten year old Kai Shah from Potters Bar in Hertfordshire is reaping the benefits of playing sport. Kai first took part in WheelPower’s Primary Sports Camp as soon as he was old enough in 2008 at six years old and has been living an active lifestyle ever since.

Five years on Kai travelled to Stoke Mandeville Stadium, to develop his skills in a wide range of activities including wheelchair basketball, boccia, kurling, and zone hockey. The Primary Sports Camp supported by Thomas Cook Children’s Charity is WheelPower’s one day introduction to sport for young disabled children. 

His mum Sonia Shah explains Kai’s approach to the Sports Camp:

He has a can do attitude. He is willing to get up and have a go at everything.

Kai is now focusing his attention primarily on one sport, powerchair football. At ten Kai is thought to be the youngest player in the national league, but playing sport against adults of all abilities has never fazed him. The development of his leadership and communication skills highlights this. Dad Himesh continues:

Sport has bought him out of his shell. On the pitch, he has no problem telling his 20 year old teammates what they are doing wrong when necessary. At the Primary Sports Camps Kai has discovered that his disabilities should not prevent him from having the active and social lifestyle that he desires. Through sport he gets to meet so many people and make new friends, and overall it has had a hugely positive impact on many aspects of his everyday life.

Currently in year six at Kai was keen to select a secondary school with the facilities and staff that would support his development in sport. He looked no further than Bushey Meads near Watford with their excellent reputation for making sport inclusive for all at school.

He has since learned that Bushey Meads bring a team to WheelPower’s National Junior Games every year at Stoke Mandeville Stadium. WheelPower’s Sports Development Officer Stewart Jeeves said:

It has been a pleasure welcoming Kai Shah to our Primary Sports Camps over the years. Kai comes to our events with such enthusiasm and charisma. We look forward to the possibility of seeing him return to Stoke Mandeville Stadium with his new school at the National Junior Games.

More information

Click Here to find out how you can get involved in sport.

Visit WheelPower's Facebook Page for the photos of the Primary Sports Camp on 19 October 2013