Magee Eagles Wheelchair Rugby Team Won its First National Championship in April

The Magee Eagles wheelchair rugby team, sponsored by Magee Rehabilitation Hospital and the Philadelphia Eagles, will be recognized as national champions before kickoff of the Philadelphia Eagles’ preseason game on August 10. The local squad took home championship honors at the United States Quad Rugby Association (USQRA) Division II National Tournament, held April 7-9 at the University of Texas. The Eagles finished with an impressive 5-0 record, capped by a thrilling 38-33 championship victory against the top-seeded OG’s from Southern California. Last year, the Magee Eagles lost in the title game.

“Over the years, many members of our team dealt with the frustration of just trying to get to nationals,” says Magee Eagles head coach Tom Hamill. “To finally win the championship was almost surreal. We worked all year on playing smart and being in control, doing all the little things right. That work all came together at nationals and accounted for how strongly we played the whole tournament. I don't think a team ever deserved a championship as much as this one.”Wheelchair rugby is a contact sport played by individuals with disabilities in both their upper and lower extremities. The sport is played on a regulation basketball court. The object of the game is to carry a volleyball across the goal line that is located on both baselines of the court. Players on offense must pass or dribble the ball every 10 seconds. Defensive players are allowed to smash their specially designed wheelchairs into offensive players in an attempt to knock the ball free. Last year, “Murderball,” a documentary that is available on video and DVD, brought national attention to the sport of wheelchair rugby. The Academy Award-nominated documentary introduced both the sport and the physically disabled culture to the general public.