The students of the Physical Activity and Sports Sciences degree (CAFYD) of the Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO) actively participated in an enriching master class offered by the club Santander Hockey Plus (Santander Hockey Plus club). The main focus of the session was the importance of fostering inclusion in the sports arena, especially as it relates to people with special needs.
The presentation was given by Estefanía Alejos, Marc Barrachina, Carlota Rey, Ana Escalante, and Ignacio Sáez. After a brief introduction on their identities and roles, they proceeded to detail the structure and purpose of the Club Santander Hockey Plus, offering compelling reasons to encourage collaboration with this noble initiative.
Although the genesis of Hockey+ dates to 2006, it was not until five years ago that it flourished in Cantabria thanks to the Federación Cántabra de Hockey (Cantabrian Hockey Federation). The growth of the club is largely due to the selfless collaboration of coaches and volunteers from the region, culminating in the formal constitution of the Club Santander Hockey Plus in 2022. In 2015, Hockey+ of the Federación Catalana (Catalan Federation), a forerunner in this field, was awarded the Premio Infanta Sofía (Infanta Sofia Award).
The task of driving the Club’s expansion falls to Ana Escalante, a member of the Board of Directors of the Executive Committee of the RFEH. It has attracted the participation of leading companies such as COPSESA, Grupo Tirso, and El Diario Montañés, among others. Ana explained that partnerships define brands and highlighted: “Sport for people with disabilities potentially attracts the attention of brands, and they want to be linked.” This strategy has contributed significantly to the club’s continued growth.
Marc Barrachina, coach of the Spanish Hockey Plus Team and coordinator of the RFEH’s H+ project, recounted the process of initiation into this world, stressing that the appearance of a team generates growing interest. He stressed the need for options for a group that has not been incorporated into the labor market due to various disabilities, emphasizing the importance of integrating them into the sports field. He also stressed the need to train people interested in continuing with this project, opening the doors to future students.
Hockey Plus has been honored to participate in Special Olympics, a movement inspired by the Kennedy family, which seeks to provide sports opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities. Ignacio Sáez, secretary of the board of directors of Club Hockey Plus, sportsman, and father of one of the players of the equipo benjamín (benjamín team), shared his experience as a parent. Sáez expressed the importance of addressing the existing gap for people with disabilities from the age of 18 and emphasized that all his children play sports, underlining their refusal to resign themselves to the challenges they face.