Quad Rugby/Story - Valdosta hosts 10th tournament

UNITED STATES QUAD RUGBY ASSOCIATION

11/21/99 - The Valdosta Daily Times

Competition grows fierce as Valdosta plays host to quad rugby championship

By Weenam Chua

VALDOSTA—Beads of perspiration fly as Greg Taylor collides with an opposing player in a vain attempt to stop him from scoring.

The final bell goes oŁ Taylor's Carolina Crash lose the game to the South Florida Rattlers, 33-34."We should have won. A few bad passes," he said.

Taylor's determination and competitive edge is not dissimilar to any other athlete's at the event. The game he played at the Boys and Girls Club gymnasium on Toombs Street is unlike any game most Valdostans have seen.

It's called quad rugby and all the players are quadriplegic. This weekend, five teams from the Southeast met at the 10th annual Valdosta Cup Quad Rugby Tournament.

"This sport is so great," said Taylor, who broke his neck six years ago in a bicycle accident. "I love meeting new people, travel and of course the competition.

"Any preconceived notions about quadriplegics can be left at the door. The players, who lost use of their lower bodies often as a result of an accident or disease such as polio, offer no quarter and play the game aggressively"

It can get rough," said Mike Baker of Nashville, Tenn., who plays with the Tennessee Titans.

Speed is the name of the game. Few players are able to break free from opponents since none have any qualms about ramming each other.

"This is stress release after work," said Michael Maher, who plays with the Tampa Generals, one of the best teams in the nation.

The fast-paced game is punctuated by loud crashing as sturdy wheelchairs collide. It's possible to flip an opponent, but that happens rarely because of safety wheel designs.

The game is a mixture of different games, said Baker. Four man teams try to outmaneuver opponents with a specially made ball, similar to a volleyball.

Points are earned in four eight-minute periods when a player crosses the end zone with the ball.

Quad rugby started in Canada in 1983 and is now an international sport with 24 countries participating.

There are 45 teams in the United States. In 2000, it will be a medal sport at the Olympics, said John Bishop, who plays for the Rattlers and is the team leader for the Paralympic team.

"We'll have tryouts next month in Houston and we will invite 50 of the top athletes to try out. Only 12 will be picked," Bishop said.

Although Valdosta is the host city, it doesn't have a team. When the cup started 10 years ago, Atlanta and Tampa had the only teams and Valdosta was the halfway point.

Referee Terry Vinyard, who works at a rehabilitation center in Tampa, is one of the founders of the tournament.

"We have had as many as nine teams here. This has been a big developmental tournament for the Southeast," he said.

Quad rugby is more than just a game. It has helped many quadriplegics heal and build confidence.

"This sport has helped a lot of guys come out of their shells," Taylor said.

The tournament continues at 9 a.m. to noon today. The cup will be presented at 1:30 p.m.

To contact reporter Weenam Chua, please call 912-244-3400, ext. 237.

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