By Ben Tompkins

Wheelchair Sports

Wheels in Motion: Joel Ewert continues high-level parasport development

Jun 17, 2021 | 4:58 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Joel Ewert is a high-level wheelchair rugby athlete. He has a disability and has been playing the sport for about six years.

He has trained with the Prince George Hammerheads, a group within the Northern Adapted Sports Association. For him, the Club has been crucial for him to maintain his skills and gain that competitive edge, leading back into when team competition returns.

“It’s been awesome that everyone’s been willing to keep things going even though it’s been with strict protocols. Even just the chance to get court time has been terrific. I think it’s gonna be an advantage over a lot of the competition that maybe didn’t have the opportunity to practice in the gym or play throughout the pandemic,” says Ewert.

His journey throughout the world of wheelchair rugby has been quite amazing. He’s played at the Provincial, National and International levels, as he believes the sky is the limit to succeed and grow within the sport.

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“There’s provincial competitions that involve inter-provincial travel down to Vancouver or Victoria or Kelowna and then me as a member of the Provincial Team, I’ve also been given opportunities to travel to other provinces, as well as across the border in the States and then as part of the Next Gen Team, I’ve been able to travel overseas. I went to Prague in 2017 and 2019 and that was just really a cool experience to be able to represent the Canadian Leaf, playing the sport you love.”

For Ewert, he is a carded athlete, which means he is both funded by the government to play, as well as allowed to train despite the pandemic and the restrictions that have been in place.

“It’s been a big help that I’m able to have that exemption and still continue training, explained Ewert. If I didn’t have this exemption at certain times with certain sports over the past year, I wouldn’t have been able to train, so to be able to have that exemption and be able to continue my training has been awesome.”