00:00Swapping wheels for sleds, Michael Francis has represented Australia in para-ice hockey,
00:08a sport just as physical as its able-bodied counterpart.
00:13The feeling of, I guess, freedom for myself, being able to just glide on that ice and the
00:21speed you can go.
00:22You know, I can't go that fast in my wheelchair.
00:25He wants others to have the chance to do so.
00:28There's not much around and it's hard to find things for disability, so being able to come
00:31out and do this is really good.
00:34WA had six athletes compete in the recent world championships in Thailand, and this
00:38come and try day is an effort to grow the sport even more, but it needs more funding
00:42to do so.
00:43Ice rinks are $700 an hour.
00:46The guys wear around $2,000 worth of protective gear, plus there's the sleds and the sticks,
00:52and they come from Canada.
00:53They're about $1,500.
00:55WA only has two ice rinks.
00:57Neither are purpose-built or fit for competition.
01:00Here is, especially during the season, booked out just the whole time from six in the morning
01:07to ten at night.
01:11But despite its barriers, players are eager to push the sport forward.
01:14That's all I want, the sport to grow, get to an Olympic level, a level for Australia.
01:20An opportunity for emerging athletes across the country.
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