The 2005 documentary Murderball, a film about paraplegics who play full-contact rugby, brought the world of intense, adaptive wheelchair sports into the mainstream. On Saturday May 26, the Triumph Foundation’s Disabled Sports & Fitness program will bring a free wheelchair sports clinic to Santa Clarita.
“We’re going to have a bunch of wheel chair sports that people can come out and take a part in. Everything from wheelchair hockey, basketball, quad rugby and racquetball,” said Skinner.
The family event will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Santa Clarita Sports Complex gymnasium, 20870 Centre Pointe Parkway in Canyon Country.
“It’s open to people of all abilities. So someone doesn’t necessarily have to be disabled to come out and play,” said Skinner
In fact, the sports clinic will provide adaptive sports wheelchairs for the able-bodied to use to compete.
“We’ll have one court that’s set aside for people to get in the chair, get situated and roll around a little bit before we throw them into the action,” said Skinner.
Skinner, a quadriplegic, says their first time competing against adaptive wheelchair athletes will be eye-opening.
“To see the type of strength, agility and endurance that it takes to participate in these sports, I think we’re going to wipe a lot of people out that are going to try and keep up with some of these athletes that are out there,” said Skinner.
Fortunately, the clinic will feature tutors from the Los Angeles Lakers wheelchair basketball team and Northridge Knights Quad Rugby Coach Mike Doom. Their expertise fits in well with the Triumph Foundation’s Disabled Sports & Fitness program’s goal of outreach to the disabled community.
“They will be more in advisory or coaching role in an effort to get people out who may be disabled and people who don’t know about these types of opportunities for them,” said Skinner.
Co-sponsored by Northridge Hospital Medical Center, and the city of Santa Clarita, the Wheelchair Sports Clinic will focus on food, family and having fun.
Event sponsorship opportunities are available and Skinner says donations to the nonprofit Triumph Foundation is welcome anytime.
“Triumph Foundation’s mission is to help people triumph over spinal cord injuries and to inspire them to keep moving forward with their lives by pushing themselves to get better every day,” said Skinner.
To find out more about the event or the Triumph Foundation you can contact Andrew at (661) 803-3700, Andrew@triumph-foundation.org or at www.Triumph-foundation.org.