Founded on the 22nd of September 2013 at Chambers Park, the Portadown Panthers have since become a shining symbol of healthy recreation for the learning disabled.
Although a collaborative endeavour, supported by countless enthusiastic parents and friends of the club; Karen Flack, the current chairperson, presents as a particularly extraordinary figure.
Present at the inception of the club, Karen has since adopted the role of chairman after the passing of her father in 2019; aided by her husband and head coach, Ian Flack.
The Portadown Panthers itself boasts a respectable forty players and twenty coaches, fostering a robust community of like-minded parents, volunteers, and players, each dedicated to creating an enjoyable environment that enriches the lives of any who involve themself.
Karen’s work as the chairperson has been nothing short of outstanding; having helped guide the club through the COVID pandemic and maintained the community raised over years of hard work, the Panthers have become an admirable representation for other recreational sports, attracting interest from organisations hoping to adopt their methods of recreation for their own respective athletics.
In an interview via Zoom, Karen discussed further the aims of the club and her main motivations behind such an organisation and how it began. Stating that “We are very proud of what we do and feel we have what is known as the “Panther Family” in Portadown because we all very much are together and we’re all very involved in the club itself.”
Continuing further to say that “We have introduced families to the club who would have never been at a Rugby club before, we have introduced families to one another who wouldn’t have known each other before. We very much feel that the Panthers have opened doors for all of these people, including the players and perhaps those who have never worked with children or adults with learning disabilities.”
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