By Anna Konovalenko

Photo by Anna Konovalenko

Wheelchair Rugby was first designed in Canada in 1977, however, it’s just 30 years later the sport made its debut at the Paralympics in Sydney in 2000. Glasgow Wheelchair Rugby Club, or how they call themselves Caledonian Crushers, is the only full-time wheelchair Olympic team in Scotland.

Chris Dempster was born with cerebral palsy condition. He has been playing wheelchair rugby for six years and he tells us his way to the sport.

Photo by Anna Konovalenko

Chris comments:

‘I got to the point in my early 30th where my walking was becoming a problem for me.’ He added,

‘I wasn’t in the situation where I was able to use a wheelchair, cause I kind of rejected it for a long time and I didn’t have the upper body strength to be able to choose to use a wheelchair, so knowing that it was going to come over time I decided to do wheelchair sport to be able to use a wheelchair more often’

Jen Lang is one of the few women in the team but it doesn’t stop her from enjoying every minute of the game. She says that the most exciting thing is ‘to do stuff you won’t usually do like smash into other people in your chair.’

Photo by Anna Konovalenko

Jen comments:

‘My PT suggested that I go down and see the guys playing wheelchair rugby. It took me a little while to build up the courage to do it but when I did I kind of was there forever.’

Elliot Cooper joined the sport during the Covid-19 pandemic. He says it takes a huge part of his life and explains why.

Photo by Anna Konovalenko

Elliot told UWS News:

‘We don’t get a lot of opportunities to be physical and to be decisive in our motion. Murderball is sort of capitulates that drive to get the ball and get the guy but also the drive to exist as a physical being. ‘

Link for a website: https://www.caledoniancrushers.co.uk/

Link for a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GlasgowWheelchairRugbyClub