Getting disabled people to move more. That is the mission of Frank Hooning, who will be giving sports clinics in wheelchairs together with Sportbedrijf Zaanstad for the next nine weeks. Yesterday was the first clinic in sports hall Trias in Krommenie. Michel Kloosterman was the most fanatical participant: “No, there’s no such thing as me, I’m quite a go-getter.”
At the sports clinics, participants get to know a different sport every evening. There is handball, basketball and tennis, among others. All of that in wheelchairs.
At the first clinic, some participants still visibly have to get used to the wheelchair. Nevertheless, initiator Frank is fanatical and puts the athletes to work. “I deliberately did less today”, Michel laughs halfway through the clinic with sweat already on his forehead. “I’ll see how it goes tomorrow. I don’t think I’m going to get muscle pain, but I’ll be broke.”
Nerve disorder
He has had post-traumatic dystrophy, a nervous disorder, for nearly 20 years. “I was out of the wheelchair for a while, but I was hit by a car four years ago. Now I’m permanently in the wheelchair with dystrophy, a damaged back and four hernias. But I will continue to exercise, it certainly won’t stop me.”
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Michel puts on handcycling. Last August he bought one and now he has 2,700 kilometers on the clock. He even wants to go on holiday with a self-made bicycle caravan. But first these clinics. Will he keep it up? “This is a completely different kind of sport. But it’s really fun.” He is already looking forward to the next few weeks: “I’m looking forward to it, bring it on!”
The clinics are free and you can still join halfway through. Interested see via this link more information.