There is a new sport in Mid-Missouri. It takes a lot of power and eye/hand coordination is a must.

The athletes won't just impress you, they have a way of inspiring everyone that watches.

Greg Moss needed to do a community outreach program as part of a class. What he learned is more than any classroom can teach.

"They love it, they don't have a lot of opportunities like this, but this is the first team in Columbia like this," said Moss, Power Soccer coach.

He's the coach of driving force a Power Soccer team in Columbia.

It uses power wheelchairs with metal guards on the front to hit an oversized ball into a goal.

"I've never had the chance to play competitive sports. So, at 38 I'm out there learning all the things about team sports," said Aimee Wehmeier Power Soccer player.

"We frankly don't care about their disability. We care about one thing, their interest in soccer," said Power Soccer organizer Mark Ohrenberg.

Interest is not a problem for 19 year old Greg Abbott. A chance to play sports is all he ever wanted.

"My son had been looking for a competitive sport ever since he could think about sports," said Abbott's mother, Cara Wright.

"Fun to play with teammates to talk and to play real sports," said Abbott.

"He was on top of the clouds, it was wonderful," Wright said.

Abbott starts at center on the four person team.

"Greg is an amazing competitor. If he gets a break away, nobody can stop him," Moss said.

But rules can slow him down.

"They actually limit the amount of speed you can travel. The regulation is six miles per hour," Wehmeier said.

Anyone from age 8 to 80 can play, all you need is a power chair.

"There is a lot of skill involved in driving the wheelchair and skill involved in figuring out how to do spin kicks and things like that," said Wehmeier.

You need skill and a lot of bravery. Power soccer is a contact sport.

"You do get banged up. We've had some broken wheelchairs and had a few crashes," Wehmeier said.

"The players, no matter how fragile they may seem are all really really tough. I've seen them take some big hits," said Wright.

But these athletes understand more than most. Life is all about how you take a hit and keep going.

"Anybody with disabilities should have the same opportunity to have success, failure, to get hurt," Ohrenberg said.

Moss' class is done, but he still feels a driving force to learn more from the team he coaches.

"It's just been amazing, they've taught me so much, probably way more than I've been able to teach them," Moss said.

"If I'm not having such a good day, after I leave here, I'm good," Wright said.

Coach Moss says spacing on the floor is the most important aspect to having success at Power Soccer.

The team plays at Woodcrest Church and is always looking for more players.

If you are interested in playing Power Soccer call services for independent living at 573-874-1646.