Quad Rugby/Story - US Paralympics 2004 Selection Process

UNITED STATES QUAD RUGBY ASSOCIATION

April, 2003

2004 PARALYMPIC ATHLETE SELECTION PROCEDURES
Wheelchair Rugby

I. Selection System

A. Team Selection Philosophy: U.S. Paralympics seeks to select the combination of players most likely to collectively win the gold medal at the 2004 Paralympic Games.

Team Composition: The wheelchair rugby team to the 2004 Paralympic Games shall have a maximum of twelve (12) players. Each eligible player shall be classified according to the degree of his disability (0.5= most severe): 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, or 3.5. The team can have four (4) players on the floor at any time, the sum of whose classifications shall be not greater than eight (8). Thus, the team shall comprise players from a variety of disability rankings.

Eligibility: Candidates must be citizens of the United States and must hold a valid U.S. Passport at the time of team nomination. Candidates without a valid U.S. Passport at the time of training team selection must document an application for citizenship and a projected timeline. Candidates must hold a U.S. Quad Rugby Association (USQRA) classification (0.5 – 3.5) in order to participate in the training team selection camp.

IPC Minimum Performance Standard: Not applicable.

B. Selection Process:

I. The selection process shall have three stages:

1. Player review and invitation

2. Training team selection

3. Team Nomination

II. The Selection Committee shall be composed of:

U.S. Paralympics Rugby Operations Director (chair)

U.S. Paralympics Sport Manager assigned to Rugby

USQRA President or his designee

An elected athlete representative (must meet USOC definition of an athlete) not in consideration for the team.

C. Selection Criteria: The U.S. Paralympics Head Coach shall present and defend the recommendations of the coaching staff to the Selection Committee at each stage of the process. The Head Coach shall fully participate in all discussions of the selection committee. The coaching staff may, at any time, consult the members of the selection committee in forming recommendations.

I. Player review and invitation

a. Player review and invitation will continue through May 1, 2003. Review of players for invitation (steps b.ii and b.iii below) will be based on ball acquisition and retention skills, passing skills, defensive effectiveness and tactical decision-making observed in the game situation (as in Attachment A).

b. Player review shall have three components

i. Initial invitation of at least twenty (20) and no more than thirty (30) athletes posted on April 1, 2003. Athletes have been evaluated through club conference play, club tournaments and a mailing sent out to all Rugby clubs for recommendations.

ii. Players not on the initial invitation list may request review by the coaches and selection committee at the April 10-13, 2003 U.S. Quad Rugby National Championships. Players will be reviewed in play on their club teams. Players wishing such review must request review, in writing, to the U.S. Paralympics representative at the USQRA national championships on or before 9:00 PM on Thursday, April 10 at the official host hotel of the championships.

iii. Players not named on the initial invitation list and who are not competing in the USQRA national championships may request, in writing, a review for invitation. Such requests must include a videotape of an entire game in which the player had significant playing time. Requests and tapes must be received in the U.S. Paralympics office on or before Thursday, April 17, 2003.

c. All supplemental invitations (steps ii and iii above) will be posted and issued by U.S. Paralympics on or before May 1, 2003.

II. Training Team Selection

a. All invited players (V.C.1 above) wishing to be considered for selection to the training team and ultimately to the Paralympic Games team must participate in the tryout camp and North American Cup at Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham, Alabama June 8-15, 2003. U.S. Paralympics will support all invited athletes with transportation, housing, food, and on-site support. Candidates must confirm participation with the U.S. Paralympics operations director by May 16, 2003.

b. At the tryout camp, all candidates shall participate in drills, tests, scrimmages, and games versus the Canadian national team.

c. Each candidate will be tested and timed as well as observed in drills, scrimmages and games. The Selection Committee will evaluate each player using the skills sheet in Attachment A.

d. The coaches will use the evaluations on Attachment A to rank candidates with the same or similar numeric classification while also considering positional play.

e. The coaches will present a roster of players that will enable the USA to field a variety of eight point lineups in order to maximize the team competitiveness in a variety of situations.

f. The Selection Committee shall review the recommendations of the coaching staff based on process as well as ranking, skills, and player diversity (classification and positions).

g. The Selection Committee will announce the Paralympic training team of sixteen (16) athletes at the conclusion of the tryout camp, on or before June 15, 2003.

h. Training Team Selection

Athletes invited to participate in the training team selection camp who cannot attend or fully participate in the camp due to illness, injury, or family emergency may be selected to the training team of sixteen (16) if:

a. the player was selected to the 2002 World Championships team (12 players) OR

b. the player has demonstrated significant improvement in the judged qualities since selection of the 2002 team.

III. Paralympic Team Nomination

a. Only athletes on the Paralympic training team shall be considered for nomination to the Paralympic Team. Selection shall be based on team composition (classification, positional play, individual strengths, leadership, teamwork) as demonstrated at competitions and training activities on the U.S. Paralympics rugby performance plan in Attachment B. U.S. Paralympics will keep all written documentation throughout the selection process through the conclusion of the 2004 Paralympic Games.

b. The coaching staff shall present recommendations to the selection committee, which shall review the recommendations for process, rankings, skills, and player diversity (classification and positions).

c. The Paralympic team will be nominated at the conclusion of the U.S. Paralympics rugby training camp, February ? , 2004. (Announced 30 days prior)

d. Players on the training team not nominated to the Paralympic team shall be nominated as unranked alternates who shall be nominated to the team, if necessary, according the procedures below under “Replacement of Athletes.”

e. Paralympic Team Nomination

An athlete named to the training team who is unable to fully participate in one or more of the mandatory activities listed in Attachment B, including the final team nomination camp, due to illness, injury or family emergency may be nominated to the Paralympic team if, in the unanimous opinion of the Selection Committee, the player would otherwise have been selected as one of the top eight (8) players nominated to the team, AND if the Selection Committee agrees that an athlete has made a significant effort to recover from the predisposing injury or illness and the missed activity.

II. Discretionary Selection

A. Subjectivity: The sport of wheelchair rugby is not a measured or timed event. In the selection of athletes who will compete together as a team, it is impossible to make selection decisions based solely upon objective criteria. It is the belief of US Paralympics that selection criteria set out above, which includes subjective components in the evaluation of performance and ability, will result in the selection of the very best athletes to comprise our team.

III. Publicity/Distribution of Procedures

These procedures will be posted on the U.S. Paralympics and U.S. Quad Rugby Association websites. Procedures will also be e-mailed to all coaches of club teams in the USQRA and will be available in hard copy at the USQRA national championships and by request from the U.S. Paralympics office.

IV. Mandatory Training

Athletes selected to the training team will be required to participate in all activities listed in Attachment B (as it becomes available) in order to remain in contention for selection to the Paralympic team.

Prior to January 1, 2004, a list of mandatory training activities for the nominated Paralympic team will be distributed to all members of the training team. Players can expect mandatory training for a long weekend in April, 5-9 day camps in June and July, and a 14-day pre-departure camp in August/September

V. Replacement Players

1. If an invited athlete chooses not to participate in the training team selection camp, then he will not be replaced. All qualified athletes will be invited to the training team selection camp. Therefore, no replacement is necessary.

2. If prior to the nomination of the Paralympic team an athlete named to the training team withdraws from consideration (in writing to the U.S. Paralympics office) or if he sustains an injury or illness that will keep him from returning to competition form by the time of the Paralympic Games, then the selection committee shall name a replacement within 30 days or prior to the Paralympic team nomination camp, whichever shall come first. Determination of return from illness or injury shall be made by the selection committee with the input of the USOC medical staff and a physician appointed by the athlete. The head coach will make recommendations of one or more athletes to be the replacement. Athletes in consideration will only be those who were invited to the training team selection camp or those who can demonstrate advancement on the judged qualities for team selection since May 1, 2003 when invitations were issued. Disability classification (0.5-3.5) and positional play will also be considered.

3. Replacement of athletes on the Paralympic team

If prior to the team’s departure from the United States for the Paralympic Games an athlete nominated to the team withdraws his nomination (in writing to the U.S. Paralympics office) or if he sustains an injury or illness that will keep him from returning to competition form by the start of the Paralympic Games, then the selection committee shall name a replacement from among the alternates. Determination of return from illness or injury shall be made by the Director of Sport Programs with the input of U.S. Paralympics medical staff and a physician named by the athlete. The head coach will make recommendations of one or more athletes to be the replacement to the Director of Sport Programs, who shall make the final determination. Disability classification (0.5-3.5) and positional play will be the primary considerations.

VI. Athlete Ombudsman

If you have questions regarding your opportunity to compete that are not answered by U.S. Paralympics, you may contact the USOC Athlete Ombudsman: John W. Ruger by telephone at (888) ATHLETE, or by e-mail at john.ruger@usoc.org.

VII. International Disclaimer

These procedures are based on IPC and ISMWSF rules and regulations as presently known and understood. Any change in the selection procedures caused by a change in IPC or ISMWSF rules and regulations will be distributed to the affected athletes immediately. The selection criteria are based on the latest information available to U.S. Paralympics. However, the selections are always subject to unforeseen, intervening circumstances, and realistically have not accounted for every possible contingency.

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