Wheelchair Rugby!

My 1st featured documentary of the month is Murderball. These dudes are tough!

Wheelchair rugby is also referred to as quad rugby, because all players are quadriplegic. They use modified sports wheelchairs with heavy duty bumpers and extra armor for maximum ramming capacity.

This is definitely an aggressive full-contact sport, hence the name Murderball.

Even tho rugby is in the sport’s name, they actually use an over-inflated volleyball and play on a regulation size basketball court.

Some of the rules are adopted from wheelchair basketball: teams have 15 seconds to advance the ball past halfcourt and players must bounce or pass the ball within 10 seconds of receiving it. Goals are scored by carrying the ball across the end line. Much like hockey and American football, it’s a fast paced game with lots of hard hits.

If this sport sounds intriguing to you, I highly suggest checking out Murderball, directed by Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro.

Here’s the trailer:

The film focuses on the U.S. - Canada rivalry leading up to the 2004 Paralympic games. Did you see the smack-talkin’ bald coach for team Canada? It turns out he’s a former All-Star wheelchair rugby player (of course) who participated in 13 consecutive National Championships for the United States (say what?). But after being cut from the U.S. squad in 1996 and losing an ensuing lawsuit to join the team, he decided to take his knowledge north of the border to coach team Canada. The result is some serious bad blood, fiery competition, and some great entertainment!

Murderball is funny, refreshing, intense, and inspirational. While the life stories that they tell are touching, you don’t go away feeling bad for these guys because they’re just like you and me. If you don’t think so, watch this Reebok spot featuring badass team captain Mark Zupan.

I Am What I Am

Why it’s called Murderball…

Written by Evil E · Filed Under Movies, SEE NO EVIL 

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