The Irish Amputee Football Association (IAFA) aims to develop a national Irish league for Amputees and to promote and develop the sport of Amputee Football.The IAFA will provide any person with an amputation, congenital deficiency, or other limb affecting disorder the opportunity to access Amputee Football at grassroots, club and national level. The game is fast, highly skilled and competitive with players demonstrating incredible fitness and ability on a par with their 11-a-side counterparts.Training sessions are open to both male and female amputees of all ages. If you have a passion for football and are an amputee then the IAFA is for you regardless of your level of fitness. For further information on Amputee Football in your area, log on to our facebook page Irish Amputee Football Association or www.fai.ie

Meath Local Sports Partnership in conjunction with the Irish Wheelchair Association Navan, FAI and MDI North East are delighted to announce Parkvilla FC as the host club for Powerchair football in County

Speaking at the launch of Parkvilla Powerchair football team, which took place Wednesday 12th October, Aine Coogan Sports Inclusion Disability Officer, Meath Local Sports Partnership, is delighted with the structure of the new team

“I am delighted that this programme has come to fruition as it will allow powerchair users from all over County Meath the opportunity to participate in soccer. I commend Parkvilla FC for hosting the new team and to the FAI, MDI and IWA Navan for their commitment to the programme".

This action-packed team sport combines the skill of the wheelchair user with the speed and power of the chair itself, to participate in an extremely challenging game of soccer. Powerchair Football is the first competitive team sport designed and developed specifically for power wheelchair users. Emma Whelan, IWA Navan congratulated all the players on their commitment to the training and expressed that “ IWA are looking forward to supporting the first powerchair football team in County Meath". Brian Kenny, MDI North East also expressed his delight to have an accessible sport in County Meath for all their members to participate in and is looking forward to working in partnership with all the agencies on board to ensure the success of the programme.

If you are a powerchair user and interested in playing soccer please contact Aine Coogan, Meath Local Sports Parthership at (046)9067337.

A large crowd of eagerly awaiting participants filled the beach of Laytown last Saturday to partake in the first Sand Yachting Come and Try It Day for people with disabilities in County Meath.

The event was organised by Aine Coogan Meath Local Sports Partnership, Paul Ryan Irish Disabled Sailing Association/ IWA Sport, The Irish Power Kite and Sandyacht Association and Pat Letters who kindly came down from Ballymena with the Blokarts.
The Irish Power Kite and Sandyacht Association provided people with disabilities the opportunity to try the sport of Sand Yachting with tandem sandyachts and double yachts available on the day to allow everyone had the opportunity to try the fun filled sport.  The event attracted very talented sandyachters in the making s from all areas in Leinster,

If you are interested in trying the exciting sport of Sand Yachting please contact Aine Coogan, Sports Inclusion Disability Officer Meath Local Sports Partnership at (046) 9067337.

Meath Local Sports Partnership is commencing its second Cycling Programme in September 2011. The central aim of the programme is to teach each child to cycle independantly. A fully trained coach from The Cycling Safety and Skills School will provide weekly coaching. The 6 week block will commence on Thursday 1st September in Trim from 6pm - 7pm. To register for the programme please contact Aine at (046) 9067337

The first Cycling Programme was completed in June 2011. The success rate was outstanding with 6 children successfully learning to cycle independantly.

Parents Comments:

"I cannot believe my daugher can cycle unaided. After this 'I cannot do it'  will not happen again".

"Until now i have underestimated my child's ability. I cannot believe the progression he has made".

"I'm very pleased with the programme.My child has no fear of cycling at all. I never thought I would see this day".

Meath LSP’s Transition Year Disability Awareness Programme proved a huge success with Loreto secondary school. The 24 Loreto transition year students completed 4 hours of theory provided by Aine Coogan, Sports Inclusion Disability Officer. Having completed the theory
element the students got to put their knowledge into practice with a
6-week practical session with RehabCare Navan.

Twenty four service users from RehabCare attended Loreto Secondary School for the sports programme each week. The students coached each practical session- the activities ranged from rounders to line dancing, uni hoc to step aerobics. The programme was hughly beneficial to the students and service users alike.

On the final day of the programme Mayor of Navan, Phil Brennan, presented the certificates to the transition year students and congratulated each of them for the great work they are doing and emphasised the importance of such programmes to recognise and focus on the ability of people and not their disability.

Participant's Comments:

“At the beginning of the programme I wasn’t very confident. I’d be quiet confident now because of this experience. I realise now that people with disabilities are able to get involved and are really good at the activities.” 

“I have realised that working with people with disabilities is not completely different from working with anyone else.”

“The programme taught me about the challenges people with disabilities and their carers face on a daily basis but it also showed me how much people with disabilities can do if the environment is right for them.”

Are you a wheelchair user and interested in participating in regular sport and physical activity. Meath wheelchair sports clubs participate in a wide variety of activites from rugby to archery, basketball to tennis. Training takes place every Tuesday at 7.30pm in Claremont Stadium Navan. All ages and abilities welcome. For further information on the club contact Aine @ (046) 9067337.

Meath Local Sports Partnership in conjunction with the FAI is delighted to announce Dunboyne AFC as the first Football for All Club in County Meath. The central aim of the Football for All club programme is to provide regular weekly training sessions for people with disabilities at a local level.    

The Football for All programme will commence in Dunboyne AFC in September and is open to all children with a disability aged between 6 to 14 years old.