Just one year out from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, four of the top five wheelchair rugby teams in the world will battle in Birmingham May 22-24. Make plans to attend this FREE event!
Lakeshore is proud to be the home of USA Wheelchair Rugby (USAWR) as the High Performance Management Organization. For more information on USA Wheelchair Rugby, visit usawr.org and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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 (USQRA) 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.
USA Wheelchair Rugby has a spirit of excellence. Since its inception as a Paralympic sport in 2000, the U.S. team is the most successful country in wheelchair rugby history with a medal in each Paralympic Games (two gold, one silver and two bronze). Coming off a silver medal finish in Rio 2016, the U.S. is striving to get back on top. Support USAWR as they go for the gold and give today!
USA Wheelchair Rugby names 16 athletes to the 2019 Training Squad. These athletes, selected from 37 who attended the four day selection camp, will have a busy 2019 with six camps and three international competitions.
After a training camp in April, the team will compete in the Four Nations Wheelchair Rugby Tournament, May 18-26 at Lakeshore Foundation. This tournament will feature teams from Australia, Great Britain, Japan and the United States.
Lima, Peru is set to host the 2019 Parapan American Games, August 18-September 2, and is the last chance for USAWR to automatically qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. 2019 will round out with the World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge in Tokyo, October 16-26 and the tryout camp for the 2020 squad December 11-15 at Lakeshore.
2019 Training Squad Athletes
3.0 Chuck Aoki – Minneapolis, Minnesota
0.5 Clayton Braun – St. Louis, Missouri
0.5 Jeff Butler – Austin, Texas
2.0 Ernie Chun – Phoenix, Arizona
1.0 Chad Cohn – Tucson, Arizona
2.5 Jake Daily – Freeburg, Illinois
2.0 Joe Delagrave – La Crosse, Wisconsin
1.0 Lee Fredette – East Moriches, New York
3.0 Kevin Hamilton – Arlington Heights, Illinois
3.5 Ray Hennagir – Depford, New Jersey
1.0 Joe Jackson – Chandler, Arizona
2.0 Chuck Melton – Richview, Illinois
2.0 Eric Newby – Nashville, Illinois
2.0 Alejandro Pabon – Beaumont, Texas
1.5 Adam Scaturro – Lakewood, Colorado
2.5 Josh Wheeler – Tucson, Arizona
