Powerchair sports were first played in Victoria in the early 1980’s, commencing at the Glenallen Special School. The sports quickly drew attention and became popular among students that Balwyn Special School (now Belmore School) introduced their own team to compete against Glenallen.

These teams organised and played competitive matches, which later included Glenroy Special School. Most, but not all of the players, had neuromuscular disorders under the Muscular Dystrophy umbrella, and a number of the parents, were involved with the Muscular Dystrophy Society (MDS), as it then was, an unincorporated organisation, (later known as Muscular Dystrophy Association of Victoria Incorporated, (MDAV). Those parents, and Barry Robson (former Glenallen Principal), formed what was known as the MD Sports Group, an unincorporated body, with its own committee, within the auspices of MDS, and later MDAV.

The MD Sports Group then began organising competitive team matches on Sundays, at the Glenallen indoor Basketball Court / Gymnasium. The Sport’s popularity resulted in fixtures involving four (4) teams, and so impressed Roger Melnyk, then CEO of MDAV that he successfully applied for Commonwealth Govt. funding for a National Electric Wheelchair Sports event (NEWS), the first of which was held in Melbourne in 1986.

Early in 1989, a General Meeting of the MD Sports Group, with the concurrence of MDAV, resolved to become an independent incorporated Association, which was achieved late in that year when Victorian Electric Wheelchair Sports Association Incorporated became Registered under the relevant Victorian legislation. Since the beginning of operation, VEWSA has successfully provided opportunities for people in powerchairs at state, national and international levels of competition. A state team has represented Victoria at the National Electric Wheelchair Sports Championship every year since 1986 where Victoria has achieved sustained success in the sport of Hockey.