Coach dreams of powerchair football play-off glory

Rosie Dack plays for Aspire Powerchair FC and coaches at Norwich City

A powerchair football coach is hoping her team will secure a place in the National League Premiership for the first time in a decade.

Rosie Dack has been coaching at Norwich City Powerchair FC since halfway through last season.

They finished third in the Championship this season and will play Nomad Knights on Sunday in the play-off final - and they will clinch promotion if they win.

She said: "This season, slowly, every game we have been able to unlock even more potential, turning up the amp even more."

The sport involves a four-a-side game where players with physical disabilities play in powered wheelchairs at speeds of 10mph (16km/h).

It has taken Ms Dack all around the world, including to Denmark, France, Spain, Portugal, the United States and Australia.

"The Premiership is the pinnacle of domestic club sport in the United Kingdom... Once you are able to get into the Premiership you are able to access opportunities like the Champions League," she said.

Rosie Dack (right) and the Norwich City Powerchair FC squad

Since relegation from the Premiership in 2014 and then relegation from the Championship in 2016, Ms Dack said the club had been built back up, with more players coming in and support and funding coming from the Norwich City Community Sports Foundation (CSF).

"[The team] have been able to unlock so many barriers and access so much sport this year," she said.

"Without the CSF we would not be able to help the players unlock their potential, access friendships and [hold] social events for the players.

"It's so healthy for the players and families to be in these clubs, and without the CSF we wouldn't be able to do it."

'Massive achievement'

Ms Dack, who also plays for Premiership club Aspire, said she was "incredibly proud" of the team she has coached.

However, she would have to give up her Norwich role if they clinched promotion, given her position at Aspire.

"We had no idea that we were going to be able to even qualify for the play-offs, so getting to this spot is a massive achievement... let alone how proud I am of every player in the squad," she said.