USA Wheelchair Rugby is pleased to announce the 16 athletes who have been selected to the National Training Squad for 2023. The players were chosen from a group of 37 athletes who attended a team selection camp at Lakeshore Foundation, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site March 13-19.
Head coach Joe Delagrave said, “We are excited for the year and proud of the players we have named to the 2023 USAWR National Team. We have depth in each classification and are looking forward to preparing for a successful 2023.”
The Lakeshore National Adapted Sport Organization is the National Governing Body for USA Wheelchair Rugby. Team members and staff travel from across the country to Birmingham for training camps and competitions. The team will compete in two international competitions this year: the International Wheelchair Rugby Cup in Paris, France October 13-21 and the Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile November 17-26.
For more information, usawr.org, and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
2023 USA Wheelchair Rugby Training Squad
Sarah Adam (3.0), Naperville, IL
Chuck Aoki (3.0), Minneapolis, MN
Travis Baker (1.5), Hamilton, OH
Clayton Brackett (2.5), Birmingham, AL
Jeff Butler (0.5), Ft. Wayne, IN
Marty Ewing (2.0), Schererville, IN
Montrerius Hucherson (3.5), Tallassee, AL
Brad Hudspeth (1.0), Stilwell, KS
Joe Jackson (1.0), Maricopa, AZ
Chris Fleace (0.5), Tucson, AZ
Lee Fredette (1.0), East Moriches, NY
Eric Newby (2.0), Nashville, IL
Josh O’Neill (1.5), Denver, CO
Zion Redington (3.5), Birmingham, AL
Mason Symons (2.0), Hershey, PA
Talon Teague (3.0) Kansas City, MO
Staff
Joe Delagrave, Interim Head Coach
Mike Klonowski, Interim Assistant Coach
Meme Earnest-Stanley, ATC
Chuck French, Equipment and Bench Staff
Amy Claire McMurtrie, Dietician
Jim Murdock, ATC/Medical Coordinator
Heather Rennerfeldt, Support Staff
Meagan Rowe, High Performance Manager
Meg Smith, Sports Psychology Provider
About
As the home of USA Wheelchair Rugby, membership is open to all applicable groups including: amateur athletes, coaches, trainers, managers, administrators or officials.
What is Wheelchair Rugby?
Wheelchair Rugby is a sport with roots grounded in wheelchair basketball and ice hockey and was developed by three Canadians from Winnipeg, Manitoba as an opportunity for athletes with quadriplegia to compete. The sport was originally called Murderball due to the aggressive nature of the game. It was introduced to the United States in 1979 at a demonstration at Southwest Minnesota State University. In 1981, Brad Mikkelsen, with the aid of the University of North Dakota’s Disabled Student Services, formed the first team, the Wallbangers, and changed the game’s name from Murderball to quad rugby. Today it is called wheelchair rugby.
In 1988, the United States Quad Rugby Association, now the United States Wheelchair Rugby Association (USWRA), was formed to help regulate and promote the sport on both a national and international level. There are now more than 40 organized teams in the United States with many others in the developmental stage. In addition to the teams in the U.S., there are at least 29 international teams with 20 more in the development stage. Wheelchair rugby is one of the fastest growing wheelchair sports in the world.
Forms and Documents
USA Wheelchair Rugby is committed to providing an equal opportunity to amateur athletes, coaches, trainers, managers, administrators, and officials to participate in amateur athletic competition, without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation or national origin and with fair notice and opportunity for a hearing before declaring any such individual ineligible to participate.
Lee Fredette has submitted a declaration of candidacy to serve on the Athlete Advisory Council (AAC) during the 2021-2024 term.
- Lakeshore National Adapted Sports Organization (LNASO) Board Meeting Minutes (December 2022)
- Lakeshore National Adapted Sports Organization (LNASO) Bylaws (2022)
- Lakeshore National Adapted Sports Organization (LNASO) Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies
- 2023 Parapan American Games Athlete Selection Procedures
- 2023 Parapan American Games Athlete Selection Procedures Approval Letter
- 2022 USA Wheelchair Rugby Administration Code of Conduct
- 2022 USA Wheelchair Rugby Athlete Code of Conduct
- Conflict of Interest Policy for the Lakeshore Foundation National Adapted Sport Organization (LNASO)
- Criminal Background Check Policy for the Lakeshore Foundation National Adapted Sport Organization
- Lakeshore National Adapted Sport Organization (LNASO) Complaint Procedures for National or U.S. Paralympic Teams
- Whistleblower Policy
- Gifts and Entertainment Policy
- 2022 Direct Athlete Support USA Wheelchair Rugby
- Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies
- How to Report a Concern
- 2021-2024 Quad USOPC AAC Election Procedures for Lakeshore Foundation – USA Wheelchair Rugby
- USOPC Athletes’ Advisory Council Bylaws
- 2022 USAWR Anti-Doping Notification
- 2022 Training Squad Selection Procedures, Amended May 2022
- 2022 Training Squad Selection Procedures
- 2020 Paralympic Games Athlete Selection Procedures_Amended 6.30.20.
- 2020 Paralympic Games Athlete Selection Procedures Approval Letter_Amended
- 2020 Paralympic Games Athlete Selection Procedures Approval Letter
- 2020 Paralympic Games Athlete Selection Procedures
- 2020 Paralympic Games Staff Selection Procedures Approval Letter
- 2020 Paralympic Games Staff Selection Procedures
- 2020 Staff Code of Conduct
- 2020 Complaint Procedures
- Revised Safe Sport Policy (December 2020)
- Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies
- Athlete Advisory Council Bylaws
- Athlete Advisory Council Election Procedures
- 2019 Staff Selection Procedures
- 2019 Staff Approval Letter
- 2019 Athlete Selection Procedures
- 2019 Athlete Approval Letter
- 2018 Code of Conduct
- 2018 Code of Conduct Addendum
- 2018 Selection Procedures
- 2018 Petition Procedures
- 2018 Complaint Procedures
- 2018 Skills Assessment Document
- 2018 Training Camp and Competition Schedule
- 2020 Lakeshore Foundation 990
- 2019 Lakeshore Foundation 990
- 2018 Lakeshore Foundation 990
- 2021 Lakeshore Foundation Audit Report
- 2020 Lakeshore Foundation Audit Report
- 2019 Lakeshore Foundation Audit Report
- 2018 Lakeshore Foundation Audit Report
- 2017 Lakeshore Foundation Audit Report
- 2016 Lakeshore Foundation Audit Report
