Telford para hockey player says sport is a 'second chance'

Naomi Jenks said sledge hockey has been like a "second chance"

A para hockey player said she hoped to increase knowledge of the sport as she prepared for a major competition.

Naomi Jenks it felt like a "massive second chance" after an accident stopped her playing ice hockey.

Players use double-blade sledges and two sticks, which have a spike-end for pushing and a blade-end for shooting.

She returned to her hometown of Telford with the GB Women's Para Ice Hockey team ahead of the Women's World Challenge in August.

Naomi Jenks had played stand-up ice hockey before trying sledge hockey

Ms Jenks had played ice hockey for several years but had to give it up after being seriously injured in a snowboarding accident, and then suffered complications with surgery.

She was introduced to sledge hockey and now plays for the Manchester Mayhem Para Hockey team.

It has been a Paralympic sport since the Lillehammer 1994 Winter Paralympics.

Ms Jenks said the first time she tried the sport she found it difficult.

The GB Women's Para Ice Hockey team were training in Telford

"Going from a stand-up position knowing what you were doing to being put in a sledge and falling over every five seconds is quite frustrating," she said.

"After the initial getting over that, it feels good to get back on the ice and be part of increasing a sport that not many people know about."

Ms Jenks said she wants hopes to secure future funding for more people to try para-hockey.

"We need to get the word out more about it," she said.

"It would be great if we could enable a sledge programme especially for younger disabled people."

Head women's coach Peggy Assinck said they want to open the sport up to more people

Peggy Assinck, head coach of the Women's Para Ice Hockey programme, said the sport was growing in the UK.

"I think people need to work really hard to find the programmes near them, so we're hoping to increase people's exposure to it, have more people come into ice rinks and see para-ice hockey out on the ice - and give it a go," she said.