Hi, I am Matt Bowen, a C6 quadriplegic. I am married and a dad to an awesome 2 year old boy. I started the Utah Chapter of Wheelchair Lacrosse back in 2021. I love sports and participating in adaptive rec and all the cool people I meet in this community!
In 2020, when the world shut down and I had some extra time on my hands, I was looking to play a team sport. In Utah however, there wasn’t really any sport that allowed me to do that. Being a quadriplegic, using my hands to pickup balls wasn’t very doable either. I had played lacrosse in high school and decided to see if I could still use a lacrosse stick. I was able to with ease and decided to see if there was an adaptive lacrosse team nearby. The sport of Wheelchair Lacrosse had been around for about 11 years at this point as a national organization, but unfortunately none existed close to Utah. So I decided to start a team here. In 2021 we had our first clinic and have been playing monthly since. It’s truly been a blast and I have loved learning this game and meeting so many cool people along the way!
COME AND PLAY!
Wheelchair Lacrosse is a sport for EVERYBODY! I wanted to create a place where everyone can come and compete on a level playing field. This gives disabled and non-disabled athletes alike an opportunity to play together and compete at a high level! So no matter your ability, your experience, or your background, Wheelchair Lacrosse is for you! We play monthly and have all the lacrosse gear and sports wheelchairs available for free. Check out our Instagram (@utahwheelchairlax) for updates on when and where we play!