Aspire 500
On Monday 22nd June, the London Wheelchair Rugby Club (LWRC) will wheel 500 laps of the Sports Hall at the Aspire Leisure Centre to celebrate their 25th anniversary and to raise funds for Aspire, the national charity that provides practical help to people who have been paralysed by Spinal Cord Injury.
LWRC have been running wheelchair rugby clubs across London and the Home Counties for 25 years, and plan to mark the anniversary by hosting this special fundraising challenge.
They are inviting any potential players with a physical impairment aged 16 or over to come and join in – whether beginners or pro-players, male or female. Rugby wheelchairs and coaching will be provided. LWRC will also be running a session where any physically disabled person (over 16) can try out the sport and find out about getting involved.
Wheelchair Rugby was the most anticipated sport at the London 2012 Paralympics and returns to the capital this October when world teams gather for the BT World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge 2015. The sport is an exciting fusion of ice hockey, handball & rugby, and was originally founded in Canada in 1977.
It is based on speed chair contact, and is also a tactically intelligent game to be involved in. Eight rolling substitutes make up squads of 12, with four players on court per team at any time, with the aim of driving the ball across the opponents' goal line. Contact between wheelchairs is permitted, as players use their chairs to block and hold opponents. The emphasis of the sport is on fun, excitement and inclusion, particularly for players with higher levels of impairment.
To try Wheelchair Rugby please register at londonwrc@gmail.com