Sprinting toward the end zone,
muscles straining for that last ounce of speed, deftly juking around
a defender before blasting triumphantly across the goal line to score.
If you think those days are over for people who use wheelchairs,
you haven’t seen quad rugby!
The players use specially
built chairs, with sheet metal disks covering their spokes, bumpers
made of welded tubing, and metal plates that keep the wheels from
hooking together. These modifications are essential because quad
rugby isn’t a contact sport—it’s a collision
sport!
At last month’s Abilities Expo in the Minneapolis Convention
Center, I watched the Minnesota North Stars of the United States Quad
Rugby Association (USQRA) as they crashed chairs with demolition derby
intensity—and this was only an inter-squad exhibition.
“You can tell by the look on their face the first time they
get hit if they’re gonna wash out,” said North Stars’ Coach
Jody Mines, a former Rolling Gopher and 13-year veteran of wheelchair
sports. Mines pantomimed wide-eyed fear, then a menacing grin that
said, “I got your number and I’m gonna get some payback!” When
Mines sees that expression, he knows a new player is hooked.
Matthew Serfling is
one such newcomer. “I live at the Courage
Center and went to see a Wednesday night practice—I just went
there and they [immediately] put me in a chair,” said the young
rookie. “This is only my 2nd or 3rd time out,” Serfling
added, “This is a great group of guys. They help you get set
up and teach you how to play.” Serfling pointed out a lanky,
40-ish para-athlete transferring from his game chair to his street
chair, saying, “There’s the guy you want to talk to.”
“The guy” turned out to be Todd Kemery, another former
Rolling Gopher with 14 years of competition experience. “These
chairs have a very low center of gravity,” he said. “If
you do get knocked over you just tuck your arms in and weeble-wobble
until they flip you back over.” Kemery, who is also the Sports
Director for the Minnesota Paralyzed Veterans of America, says there
is a tendency to put people with C-level spinal injuries in power chairs
to avoid shoulder injuries. “I’ve seen many guys go from
electric to manual chairs,” said Kemery, who encourages anyone
who can push a chair to do so.
Kemery spoke of seeing
people’s depression lift as they get
into wheelchair sports. “They come alive,” said Kemery. “The
Rolling Gophers turned into the Minnesota Ice. This is our 1st year
as North Stars,” Kemery explained. The North Stars have developed
from three players last year to ten this year. Pointing out a handsome,
raven-haired kid whose speed and agility made him an obvious star,
Kemery said proudly, “Chuck is sixteen and he’s going to
the Paralympics.The southern teams will be recruiting him; they’re
the Division I guys, and they’ve got more resources,” said
Kemery. “They’ll set you up with a roommate and a job.” Kemery
has no resentment about possibly losing Chuck to a Division I team,
saying, “I want to see him go as far as he can.”
Kemery explained the
playoff system for Division I and II teams, with 38 to 45 teams
nationwide competing in the regionals and sectionals leading to
the nationals. “Women are welcome to play too,” he
added with a smile. Nor are wheelchair sports limited to those who
use manual chairs, Kemery was quick to point out. There is also power
soccer. “Those guys hit,” said Kemery.
Power soccer chairs
are equipped with either plastic guards or tubular metal bumpers
mounted in front of the footrests so players can push the oversized
soccer ball. The metal tubes are gaining popularity because they’re better for hitting. “People in electric chairs
have aggression to work off, too,” said Kemery with a knowing
grin. The power soccer exhibition featured players from perhaps 10
to 60 years old competing wheel-to-wheel. Some of the power chairs
zipping around seemed faster than typical street chairs; the top-speed
head-on crash makes most people wince.
For more information,
see the United States Quad Rugby Association or go straight to www.usqra.com. This great Web site covers the sport’s
history (“Murderball” was a original name of the sport
and is the name of the award-winning movie), includes links, contact
info and lots of action shots. The USQRA’s motto is, “Smashing
stereotypes one hit at a time.” Excitement? Despite the fact
that the Convention Center had the Vikings game on a gigantic TV
screen behind the rugby court, the audience only checked the screen
during breaks in the rugby action.
From courtside a viewer
can see the expressions on players’ faces
and practically feel the chairs collide. Ever envied a quad? Check
out the Web site and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
If you’re a sports fan you’ll want go to a game—and
you won’t have to shell-out half a week’s pay for nosebleed
seats at the Dome either! ![]()
