Rugby is a hardcore sport. There is full contact, strategic plays, strength, stamina and sometimes even blood. I had a rough idea of what it means to be a rugby player, but after spending a Saturday night with the South Florida Rattlers, a Quad Rugby team in South Florida, I have a whole new perspective on the sport.

Donning shirts that read "Elegant Violence," the Rattlers spend their Wednesday and Saturday evenings running drills, practicing plays, working on passing and pushing each other to the limit. But these guys don’t seem to know any limits.

Formed in 1992, the athletes that make up this team are unlike any others. Because of various circumstances, including diving accidents, motorcycle crashes, a drive-by shooting and polio, the members of the Rattler team are quadriplegic. Via a wheelchair, they play this game with heart and gusto.

But it ain’t free

The team arrived at the gymnasium, tired after spending their morning in Miami at an exhibition of their sport. They were hoping to score some sponsorships.

The persistent message from the players: They need money. They are under budget, which limits their participation to tournaments within driving distance. Their attendance at the national tournament, which would give them more exposure to potential sponsors, is uncertain.

Each player has made a huge financial commitment to the sport. The wheelchairs they use are specially designed for Quad Rugby and equipped with a cowcatcher and wings used as the players intentionally ram into each other and fight to obtain the ball for their team. Each chair also has special wheels that are at a distinct angle in order to help the athletes with maneuverability. The chairs cost about to $2,000 each, an investment that almost all of players have made out of their own pocket. This is in addition to the chair they depend on daily.

But, if that wasn’t enough, the constant ramming in this sport, formerly called "murderball," takes its toll on the chairs, requiring spoke guards ($69 a pair), spoke replacements ($2 a piece) and tubes for the tires on a continual basis. And don’t forget the gloves these guys use as their steering wheel and breaks ($28). Whipping around on the court, they don’t last long. They go through about three pair a season.

A little help goes a long way

To help with their financial situation, the Rattlers have been given time in a gym to practice. Bill Able, assistant principal in charge of adult and community school for Lake Worth Community High School, in Lake Worth, Fla. wanted to loan out the gym to a wheelchair basketball team. But upon inquiring about a team that would be interested, he was told by a student who is disabled, "basketball is out, Quad Rugby is the thing."

"I thank the good Lord that I am not there (in a wheelchair), I feel like I have to do whatever I can to help those less fortunate," he says. And his generosity doesn’t cost the school board much. "We have to turn the lights on, but you can’t go through life worrying about if the books balance," he says. "You have to do what you can to help the community."

Another Rattlers sponsor took notice of their performance at tournaments. Sportaid, a distributor of wheelchairs and supplies for the disabled, gives the team money and discounts on their products.

Jimmy Green is the owner of Sportaid, in Loganville, Ga. A paraplegic himself, Green recognizes the importance of supporting the athletes. "I think it is an up-and-coming sport, and when you support them, you hope they will come back and support you (by buying your products)," he says.

The Tampa Generals, in Tampa, Fla. is another Quad Rugby team that has gained sponsorship. Terry Vinyard, termed an "able body," (a person without the disability) is the Generals’ coach. He works in the rehab center for Tampa General Hospital, which helps the team with transportation, volunteers and funding for a publication called Quad Rugby Today. Vinyard sells ads for the publication to raise funds for the team.

"The sport is really lacking sponsorships and the teams can’t go to tournaments. Without support the teams will eventually disband," he says.

Just to see these athletes perform is a return on your investment of money, time, sponsorships, or just being a spectator. "I didn’t know what a quad was able to do, but you see how they adapt and can play the sport," says Vinyard.

John Bishop, team captain for the Rattlers, points out that it has been proven that people who participate in wheelchair sports are healthier and more productive in life than those who choose not to participate. Many players used electric wheelchairs before they got involved in Quad Rugby, but now use manual wheelchairs full time. Vinyard says that people playing the sport can build up strength and stamina. He says that it is a continuation of rehab. And their spirits are as high as their determination to win.

Find out if there is a team in your area that you can help. Your time, money and attendance at a tournament will help the team and the entire sport become more recognized and gain support in the community. Still need coaxing? Admission for most of the tournaments is free! So, what are you waiting for?

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