A rugby player rolled forward at full tilt and rammed his wheelchair into his opponent, knocking loose both the ball and a scream of surprise as both competitors scrambled after the ball.
The fifth annual FourPlay! Quad Rugby tournament, held by Ohio University’s physical therapy department Saturday, raised more than $6,000 for the Ohio Buckeye Blitz.
The tournament pitted members of the Blitz, the only semi-pro wheelchair rugby team in Ohio, in 30-minute games against 28 teams comprised of OU students and faculty, and Athens residents.
“It was way harder than I thought it was going to be,” said first-time participant Stephanie McIntosh, a graduate student studying physical therapy. “Even with three of (the Blitz) versus four of us, they still whipped our butts.”
The rules of the tournament stipulated four people from each team were to be on the floor at a time, but the Blitz often let the amateur teams have the advantage with an extra member or two on a team. For the fifth year in a row, the Blitz dominated the competition.
The proceeds go to the Blitz to buy new specially reinforced wheelchairs, which cost more than $4,000 each. In addition to the tournament, there was also a raffle and a bake sale.
The tournament took place at Ping Center, with the basketball courts used as rugby fields. Players dribbled and passed the ball while maneuvering their chairs and trying to avoid the arms and tackles of their opponents long enough to wheel across the goal line.
“It’s neat to see students get in the chairs because it looks easier than it is,” Blitz member Brett Harbage said. “They’ve really never played in chairs before. It’s fun to see them try and figure out how to play and maneuver.”
Harbage has been playing wheelchair rugby for 17 years.
The special chairs are designed to protect the players from brutal hits, which the Blitz players doled out with glee.
“It’s a really great event,” said fifth-time participant Lindsay Harmon-Matthews, a physical therapy student who graduated in 2006. “I remember when it started. The Blitz are awesome, though. We didn’t have a chance.”
Petra Williams, a faculty adviser and assistant professor in OU’s physical therapy department, has been involved in the tournament since its inception. She also participates in the tournament each year.
“It’s gone from three students organizing the event to 22 people across three years, and every year it grows,” she said. “It’s probably one of the most fun things.”
The FourPlay! tournament will be moved to the fall next year. Williams said she is looking forward to continuing teaching the OU community about wheelchair athletes.
“Even though this is a fundraiser, the most important part is that people get to meet folks who use wheelchairs and realize they are just a group of guys who move in a different way,” she said.
jf392708@ohiou.edu
