Passionate about Powerchair Hockey for over 30 years
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Marc von Arx has first hand experience of the beginnings of powerchair hockey in Switzerland.
"I was a feared striker," Marc tells us with a smile. Marc will be 50 years old in November, which almost certainly making him one of the oldest individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. He has lived in the Mathilde Escher Foundation since 1990 and has first hand experience of the beginnings of powerchair hockey in Switzerland. Which turned out to be an adventurous time!
The senior school class of the Mathilde Escher Foundation becomes the Swiss national team
In 1990, an invitation to a world championship in electric wheelchair hockey arrived at the Mathilde Escher Foundation. The reason for this being, it was one of the few places with a handful of hockey players. "Impossible", was everyone’s initial thought. But with the support of Kurt Aeschbacher's program "Grell-Pastell", the dream came true.
There was no real powerchair hockey team and certainly no national team. Therefore, the head of the institution decided that the seven senior school students with the most playing experience, could travel to Australia. There the Swiss experienced some defeats. However, for Marc, it was still a success. The feared striker provided the only goal with an artistic shot and through that the only victory for the Swiss at that tournament.
Pioneers of Powerchair Hockey in Switzerland
Since this memorable tournament, the Mathilde Escher Foundation has been infected with the hockey virus. After returning from Australia, the Iron-Cats were founded, the first Powerchair Hockey club in Switzerland. Since then, players and staff have been tirelessly committed to the sport.
And today, 31 years after the legendary World Championships in Australia, the Mathilde Escher Foundation has players in the national team, employees on the organizing committee of the World Championships 2022, and the Foundation is involved as a sponsor.