In 2012 in Catalonia, a group of quadriplegic guys made their dream come true when the founded the first Quad Rugby team in Catalonia: Quadrigas, within the Aspaym Catalunya association.
All of them had seen the film Murderball, the name given to quad rugby or wheelchair rugby when it was invented in the 70s in Canada. It was a spectacular, highly competitive contact sport, designed specifically for players who were quadriplegic.
For many, such as Carlos, who had given up sport, this was a chance to return to it: “After trying many adapted sports”, says Carlos, “and after watching the documentary, I tried to contact quadriplegic friends to make a team and be able to enjoy a specific sport for people with injuries similar to mine. Wheelchair rugby is a contact sport which requires excellent physical preparation and where little by little more strength is acquired, as well as chair control, companionship, a thirst for competition, whatever your level of mobility, given that each player has a score depending on their mobility.”
As Carlos points out, and much as is the case with wheelchair basketball and other adapted sports, each player that is part of a Quad Rugby team has a score from 0.5 to 3.5 depending on the severity of their injury. The total score of the team may not exceed eight points. So, a player with a more minor injury will have a greater score than another with a more severe injury, whose score will be much lower. This way, a very good defender with a very severe injury will be very positive for the team, who may have a good player with a very low score. It is about seeking a well-balanced, competitive team and also about giving the chance to players with varying levels of disability to play. Whether for one reason or another, they are all welcome.
Putting the team together was not easy, despite this team and the team of the FLM of Madrid being the only two in Spain. Almost two years after its establishment, the team of Aspaym Cataluña has achieved stability: regular training sessions three times a week in Barcelona, seven members for the team, one trainer and one volunteer. They have also attended two training courses in France, where they have had a chance to learn from consolidated players and teams in a country where Quad Rugby has already been around for ten years and there is a professional league.
According to Ángel, when he decided to give Quad Rugby a try a year ago, he didn’t only love it but realised that it was exactly what he needed to cheer up and occupy his time: “Today, after a year playing, I have gained a group of friends, many good times and I have lost a lot of weight.” For Sergi, the improvement of his level of fitness and the chance to share time with his team mates are also his main motivations for playing, as well as enjoying contact sports.
The fact is that for all of them the adventure has been worth it and is still worth it. Ilian says he is proud “to play in the first Catalan team of Quad Rugby, a sport for quadriplegic players, very dynamic, that makes you want to strive to overcome difficulties and brings with it an extra motivation to get together three times a week to train and be part of a team!”
For their next dream, their eyes are set of the Paralympics. Quad Rugby is in fact a paralympic sport.
If you are interested in further information on this sport, please contact the guys at the Aspaym Cataluña team here: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. You can also follow them through Facebook.
And for more information about the FLM team from Madrid, please visit: www.medular.org