This week (June 19-24) is Women’s Sports Week, a chance to celebrate and raise awareness of women’s sport across the UK.
2017 is a fantastic year for women’s sport on an elite level. Not only are the UK & Ireland hosting the Women’s Cricket and Rugby World Cups, there is also Women’s European Football and Hockey championships, highlighting a jam-packed year of female sport.
To mark the occasion, GBWR caught up with one of our growing number of female players, Faye West, about her experiences playing sport and playing wheelchair rugby, a sport open to both male and female players.
“My advice for any females thinking about playing wheelchair rugby is simply just giving it a go, just do it. If it isn’t for you, try different sports and you are the only one stopping yourself.” Said West.
West, who plays for Westcountry Hawks, and more recently turned out for Gloucester Titans at the 2017 BT National Championships has been playing wheelchair rugby for five years now and also plays wheelchair tennis.
“The sport has a great community feel about it and playing such an intense game really helps with unwinding and reducing stress levels.” Added West (pictured below).
Listing 11-times Paralympic gold medallist Tanni Grey-Thompson as one of her sporting idols, West doesn’t let the fact that she is female put her off playing wheelchair rugby: “I don’t let it stop me, I am just as aggressive on court and you have to be, it is a massive part of our sport. Being male or female doesn’t really affect anything.
“Tanni Grey-Thompson was my idol for years but there are just so many sportswomen doing incredible things it makes it hard to pick just one to look up to. It is great that there are so many great female role models and all the Paralympians are inspiring.” Said the 20-year-old Media Arts student from Plymouth University.
GBWR have been fortunate to have some amazing female players represent the national team at Paralympic Games with the likes of Josie Pearson (2008), Kylie Grimes (2012) and Coral Batey (2016) all becoming role models for players like West coming into the sport.
West said: “It is great to see those players playing at the top level in our sport. Having women players in the Paralympic squads shows that it is possible and it is something that I could aspire to.”
If anyone (male or female) would like to get involved, check out our Find A Club section where you can find your nearest club and the contact details to go and join a team near you.
