Las Vegas–The Sin City Skulls, Las Vegas�s quad rugby team, is excited about opening their 2010-2011 season this week after their successful performance in April 2010 at the United States Quad Rugby Association (USQRA) National Championship Tournament. The Skulls placed fifth nationally in the Division II competition. This makes the Skulls 13th out of the USQRA�s fifty-one registered teams. This was the Skulls first showing at the national championships, just four years after the team�s inception. The Skulls qualified for the nationals after placing third at the United States Quad Rugby Pacific Sectional Tournament in Portland, Oregon in March 2010.
Quad rugby is also known as �Murderball� or wheelchair rugby and is an international sport which is a part of the Paralympics every four years. The United States national quad rugby team won the gold in China in 2008. The International World (Quad) Rugby competitions occur each year. Quad rugby was invented in Canada and has now spread all over the world. It is a sport played by physically disabled athletes with imparities in all four limbs of their body.
Quad Rugby is a simple game with complex strategies for playing both offense and defense, played with a volleyball on a basketball-size court. While Quad Rugby is a full contact sport, no personal contact is allowed. Slapping, hitting, punching, gouging out eyes, biting off ears, etc. is not allowed and penalties are enforced, usually requiring time in the penalty box.
The Skulls will be starting their 2010-2011 season with practice Friday, July 9. Regular practices will be held on Fridays from 5:30 pm until 8 pm at the Chuck Minker Sports Complex, 275 North Mojave Road (at the corner of Steward and Mojave close to the 95).
The Skulls invite any man or woman, able bodied or quadriplegic, interested in playing or supporting the team to come out to our practices. Everyone is invited to experience the game by playing in a rugby chair which will be provided. You will get to know the rules and have a lot of fun by playing along with the team. We always want able bodied people to help challenge the team. Be warned: playing rugby in a specialized wheelchair is a serious workout for the arms.
The Skulls always appreciate and welcome sponsors and donations. If you are interested in supporting Las Vegas Quad Rugby through volunteering, sponsorship or donations please contact the Sin City Skulls coach, Brad Oram at (702) 326-8500 or coach@sincityskulls.net. The Sin City Skulls are currently supported by the Nevada Adaptive Sports Club (NASC) and the City of Las Vegas Adaptive Recreation.