Philadelphia (October 2001)—The Rolling Rebels, Magee Rehabilitation Hospital’s quadriplegic wheelchair rugby team, will host its Eleventh Annual Beast of the East Tournament November 2 through November 4 at the Carousel House, Belmont Avenue and North Concourse Drive, in Fairmount Park.

Entrants in the tournament include teams from Philadelphia, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York. Starting times for games on Friday, November 2, are from 1:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Saturday, November 3, starts are from 9:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. A 9:30 a.m. game on Sunday, November 4, precedes runner-up games, the championship match at 2 p.m. and an awards ceremony. All games are free of charge and the public is invited to attend.

Quad rugby is played by quadriplegics on a basketball court. The rules and strategies are similar to both hockey and basketball. The game emphasizes speed, stamina and key skills, and features a great deal of exciting action and contact. Magee’s team, the Rolling Rebels, has been competing nationally for ten years. The 15-member team includes wheelchair athletes from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

Recreational therapy is an important part of Magee’s comprehensive rehabilitation program. Competing among peers enables participants in wheelchair sports to improve their overall health and fitness and increase their self-esteem and confidence. Magee Rehabilitation is a leading sponsor of wheelchair sports in the Philadelphia region. Besides quad rugby, Magee sponsors teams in wheelchair basketball, tennis and martial arts.