Haiti played with amazing speed to take control of their first game at the 2014 World Cup of Amputee Football (soccer) and beat Germany 2-0. They demonstrated enough firepower to be considered among the top teams of the tournament.
The game was decided in the first half, with two top notch goals. The first goal came at the eleven minutes on a free kick by Francois Makendy and nine minutes later Lousiene Sandy sealed the game.
Here the team is pictured at DFW International Airport.
The Haiti National Amputee Football (soccer) Team arrived in Dallas, TX, on midnight, November 13, 2014, to begin final preparations for the 2014 Mexico World Cup of Amputee Football.
Kadija and Dr. Sorrells at the warm-up track adjacent to the Olympic Stadium. Dr. Sorrells is helping her and her coach with her technique for throwing the javelin.
Kadija, the first female athlete from Niger, is a 34 year old woman with four kids. She had just weaned her last child the day she left for London. Kadija has polio and no muscular movement below the hips.
As the Niger sports medicine coordinator, Dr. Fred Sorrells had to take Kadija to the doctor in the Paralympic Village when she arrived due to chest discomfort.
Dr. Fred Sorrells appears several times in this powerful video from Wheels for the World.
The London 2012 Paralympic Games, which opened Wednesday, August 29, 2012, was the biggest ever where Paralympic athletes competed in front of sold-out crowds and an estimated TV audience of around four billion.
Dr. Sorrells served in his fifth Paralympic Games and as an official with the Niger, Africa delegation.
Dr. Fred Sorrells assisted a Nigerien athlete during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
Quintin Stephens with Dr. Fred Sorrells
Quintin Stephens had a very strong performance in his 100 meter wheelchair race on Saturday, June 30, at the USA Paralympics Track and Field Meet in Indianapolis. Quintin was awarded a bronze medal.
His time met the qualifying standard set by the International Paralympic Committee, but unfortunately did not meet the USA Paralympic Committee qualifying time for the USA London 2012 Paralympic team.
So while he will not be part of the USA London 2012 Paralympic team, Quintin has already set his sights on the World Paralympic Track and Field Championships in Lyons, France next year. He has a very good chance of making the USA squad.
At age 54 Quintin was easily the oldest track athlete at the Indianapolis meet. His quadriplegic performance inspired many. Quintin broke his neck in an accident in 1981 and has been wheelchair racing since 1983 to maintain his health and independence.
Dr. Fred Sorrells, who has been his coach and caregiver since 2009, said, “What a blessing to serve this choice man of God and great patriotic American.”
In the short video below, Quintin shares from the track where he competed.
Dr. Fred Sorrells shows young amputee Jean Peter how to kick a soccer ball with crutches.
Pierre Richard Bruny with Dr. Fred Sorrells.
Pierre Bruny visits with two earthquake amputees as they await their physical therapy session.
Amputee Soccer has been described as the greatest one-legged game in the World! It began as a rehab and strengthening activity in the 1980’s. However, those who played it found it was great as a real sport outside the rehab setting. Amputee Soccer soon spread from local fields and arenas to become a global sport with its own World Cup. The next World Cup of Amputee Soccer will be held in Argentina this October.
The international game is 6 v 6 + keeper, but there are enough variations in the game to allow local teams to play with as few as 3 v 3 with or without keeper.
Amputee Soccer is international and involves Russian and other Eastern European veterans of Afghanistan, West African combat survivors and even Middle Eastern players. Most recently this amazing sport was introduced in Haiti – to help amputee survivors of the fifth worst earthquake in human history.
Amputee soccer’s introduction to Haiti came in an unusual way. IIOS President Dr. Fred Sorrells noticed the large number of amputees during his visits to hospital wards following the January 12 earthquake. Children, teens and adults were all affected.
Many had played soccer prior to the earthquake. It became apparent that Amputee Soccer could relieve trauma, provide rehab activity, and help amputees re-integrate into society.
When Dr. Sorrells returned from his third trip to Haiti in April, he discovered that the Haiti National Soccer Team was in San Antonio, Texas – hosted by the San Antonio Sports and housed at T Bar M Ranch.
Dr. Sorrells made his way to T Bar M Ranch and shared his vision of amputee soccer with team captain Pierre Richard Bruny and other members of the team.
Pierre Bruny agreed to help launch the amputee soccer program in Haiti. When Dr. Sorrells returned to Haiti in June, true to his word Pierre became the driving force behind efforts to introduce the greatest one-legged game in the World!
Amputee Soccer is an excellent rehabilitation activity, so Pierre Bruny and his associates have started visiting rehab programs in Port-au-Prince to encourage them to participate in the sport.
Dr. Sorrells worked with Pierre and his associates to teach the fundamentals of the game to interested amputees.
Dr. Fred Sorrells is the USA Amputee Soccer Association representative for San Antonio and Central Texas. Please contact him if you live in this region and are interested in joining a team or need more information. Email: fred@iisport.org
Amputees from Port-au-Prince gather for an amputee soccer training session.
At 7:03PM CST this photo and text from Dr. Fred Sorrells came through.
“I am sure the US media is reporting the top story today us Bill Clinton’s arrival to Haiti. I was at the UN headquarters earlier today and everyone especially the security was hopping.”
“However, the real news among several great things today is that disabled Marine quadriplegic Quintin Stephen’s donated sports racing bike is alive and well. The building where it was stored withstood the earthquake while the building four blocks down the street behind me obviously did not.”
“I am so happy that this $5000 dollar chair is in great shape for a Haitian disabled athlete, perhaps one of the newly disabled earthquake victims, to cross the finish line first at the 2012 Paralympic Games for a gold medal.”
“I posted a uTube several months ago requesting the Clinton Initiative to build the first track. Not one track like we have at every Jr. high school exists in the whole country. We need that track, including a rehab and therapuetic center, to be build ASAP to start the recovery process for the 200,000 amputees alone in Haiti. Please help me get the word out.”