Sports & Recreation — Quad Rugby

CONGRATULATIONS !

DENVER HARLEQUINS
2007 Division I National Champions!

Quad Rugby, or wheelchair rugby as it is also called, is a sport with roots going back to wheelchair basketball and ice hockey, which is not surprising, since it was developed by three Canadians from Winnipeg, Manitoba as a quadriplegic equivalent to wheelchair basketball. The sport was originally called murderball due to the aggressive nature of the game. It was introduced in the United States in 1981 by Brad Mikkelsen, who with the aid of the University of North Dakota's Disabled Student Service's, formed the first team, the Wallbangers, and changed the game's name from murderball to quad rugby.

In 1979, a team from Winnipeg organized an exhibition at the regional track meet held at Southwest State University in Minnesota. Canada went on to play their first national championship that same year. The first quad rugby match in the US was between North Dakota and Minnesota, as an exhibition game at the 1982 National Wheelchair games, also held at Southwest State University. This same year, the University of South Dakota hosted the first international tournament, with participating teams from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, North Dakota, and Minnesota.

In 1988, the United States Quad Rugby Association (USQRA) was formed to help regulate and promote the sport on both a national and international level. Since its introduction, Quad Rugby has grown to become a truly international sport, with teams now competing from around the globe. There are now more than forty-five organized teams in the United States with many others in the developmental stage. In addition to the teams in the US, there is estimated to be at least twenty international teams from as far away as Australia in addition to those in Canada. Without question, quad rugby is the fastest growing wheelchair sport in the world today.

Wheelchair rugby combines elements of basketball, football and ice hockey and it is played on a basketball court. The teams are formed by four players and up to eight substitutes. The four players on the court cannot exceed 8.0 points. A volleyball is used and it can be carried, dribbled, or passed in any way except by kicking. The ball must be bounced at least once every 10 seconds. Athletes try to score goals by carrying the ball over the opponent's goal line. Wheelchair Rugby is played in four eight minute (stop-time) quarters.

Players must have a combination of upper and lower extremity impairment to be considered as eligible to participate. Most of the players have sustained cervical level spinal injuries and have some type of quadriplegia as a result. Players are given a classification number from one of seven classifications ranging from 0.5 - 3.5. The 0.5 player has the greatest impairment and is comparable to a C5 quadriplegic. Of those eligible to participate, the 3.5 player has the least impairment and is similar to a C7-8 incomplete quadriplegic.

In 2000, Team USA won the Paralympic Goal medal beating Australia in the Finals.