A Red Deer man is sharing his love for sports with a documentary showcasing different adaptive sports.
Niek Theelen has never let his disability get in the way of his desire for competition. The 29-year-old lives with Cerebral Palsy and grew up playing adaptive sports like sledge hockey and wheelchair basketball. Now he's turned that passion for sport into a feature film.
"I think a lot of the time, people kind of see disability as kind of a negative and I wanted to show the positive light and the things that are possible," said Theelen.
Love of the Game explores the many adaptive sports played in central Alberta – from adaptive skiing and cycling, to wheelchair basketball and blind hockey.
"I wanted to raise awareness for these programs and all the opportunities that are available, especially for people that don't know about these sports and that these things exist," said Theelan.
"I think this brings light to areas of our world that some of us don't experience," said Jason Steele, a member of the film crew.
The documentary not only showcases people who grew up with a disability, but those who developed one later on in life.
Dustin Butterfield gradually lost his eyesight due to a genetic eye disease. He grew up playing ice hockey and now loves playing blind hockey.
"It was just amazing to be able to get out there and play again. To compete. To have that camaraderie with your teammates," he said.
Theelen said the sports featured in his film lack funding, and adaptive equipment is expensive. He hopes his film will raise awareness about the important role these sports play in the lives of people living with disabilities and the need for these sports to be more accessible.
"Some of them get initial funding, but then it's hard to keep the programs going and keep awareness going," said Theelen. "Hopefully with a project like this we can keep sharing stories and make a difference that way."
A special screening of Love of the Game will be held at Camp LG Barnes in the summer.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nav Sangha
