Wheelchair Rugby
The fast growing and truly inspirational Paralympic sport of Wheelchair Rugby became headline news last summer on the 29th August when the GB team won gold in Tokyo, not only earning their first spot on the podium but clinching the first Olympic gold medal for any European country in the sport.
As one of the only mixed team sports in the Paralympics, the GB team truly captured the public’s support with their extraordinary sporting prowess in Tokyo resulting in over 1m people tuning in to watch the high impact final vs the USA, a team GB had never previously beaten.
It is now also 10 years since Team GB appeared at the London Paralympics in 2012.
The current GB Wheelchair Rugby squad comprises a mix of highly experienced players and rookies, with ten of the named players having won gold in Tokyo last year. All five new athletes have come through the GBWR Talent pathway, demonstrating the sport’s focus on the importance of developing the next generation of GB wheelchair rugby players.
We have interviews with 2 incredible members of the squad, Ryan Cowling and Kylie Grimes.
Ryan Cowling MBE
Classification: 1.0
Date of birth: 05/02/1976
Hometown: Matlock
Club: West Coast Crash
Disability: Spinal injury
Bio: Ryan joined the GB Talent development squad in 2014 on his 40th birthday and went on to be the team’s captain until he was invited in 2015 to train with the GB squad. He made his international debut before being selected to attend the Rio 2016 Test Event in February 2016. Finishing 1st, Ryan then returned to Rio for the Paralympics later that year where he made his debut as part of the Paralympic squad.
A former serviceman, Ryan joined the army in 1993, a year before his injury.
He has a passion for scuba diving and is the proud father of 2 daughters.
Playing History:
2021: Tokyo Paralympics – 1st
2021: King Power Quad Nations Wheelchair Rugby Tournament, UK – 1st
2020: King Power Quad Nations Wheelchair Rugby Tournament, UK – 2nd
2019: European Championships, Denmark – 1st
2018: World Championships, Australia – 4th
2017: European Championships, Germany – 1st
2016: Rio Paralympics – 5th
2016: Canada Cup – 5th
2016: Paralympic Test Event, Rio – 1st
Q&A
1. How did you first discover the sport of Wheelchair Rugby?
I first discovered the sport in 2009.
A friend of mine was part of a new club that had formed in the UK, called West Coast Wheelchair Rugby.
I was looking for something to do, and something to get me back into sport and back into exercise.
He invited me to come and watch them play in Nottingham. I went and had a look at that, and then went to a training session, and kept going back for a couple of weeks in a row, and really was hooked after that.
2. What does your classification number mean?
My classification is 1.0, and so therefore I am more of a defensive player.
In wheelchair rugby, the more classification points you have, the more able body you are. And so typically, my role is more defensive, as I’m on there to block and get in people’s way.
That’s not to say I never score, we do have more ‘offensive’ parts to our game, but not as much as other players with higher classification numbers.
3. How often do you train?
I train between five and six times a week.
It will vary between how many sessions within the day, and the type of sessions between chair work, in the gym and fitness sessions.
4. If you could describe the sport in 3 words, what would they be?
Strategic bumper cars.
5. How did you progress to representing the GB team?
The coach of my club, put me forward to the GB Talent Team in 2014, and I was eventually made captain of that team.
At end of 2015, I got put forward to the GB Elite Team on a trial basis for three months. And then in 2016, I got accepted onto the Elite program full time and my first tournament was the Rio Paralympics Test event, which was pretty cool.
Because I joined WR in my mid 30s, I actually had the phone call to let them know I was going to Brazil on the day of my 40th birthday!
6. What was the most exciting match you have played in?
The Paralympic Final 2021 Tokyo. I was lucky enough to play every minute and bring home the Gold medal.
7. Where have you travelled to play GBWR?
All over Europe from France to Germany and the Czech Republic.
Elsewhere I’ve travelled to America, Japan, Australia and of course, Brazil
So quite a few interesting places!
8. What are your ambitions in the sport?
My immediate ambitions are to go with the team to the World Championships in Denmark in October, and win a medal there. We’ve never won a medal there before, so that is driving us.
Slightly longer term, my aim to is to get the Paris 2024 Paralympics, and help us retain our Paralympic title.
9. Do you have a pre-match routine?
It’s not flashy, but I’m someone who gets ready really early.
I like the quiet, and try to find as much of as that as I can pre-game away from the noise of music and conversation.
10. What would your advice be to our young readers who might be interested in trying WR?
The great thing about wheelchair rugby, it doesn’t matter what your disability is, it’s available for everyone to have a go.
My advice for anyone is to go and find your local club, get in contact with them and give it a go.
It’s certainly changed my outlook on life and in many ways changed my life a great deal.
Kylie Grimes MBE
Classification: 0.5
Date of birth: 07/12/1987
Home town: Farnham, Surrey
Club: London Wheelchair Rugby Club
Disability: Spinal injury
Bio: Kylie is the only woman on the elite team and was 1 of only 2 women who played wheelchair rugby at London 2012.
She has been playing wheelchair rugby since 2008 following an accident in a diving pool 14 years ago which resulted in a spinal injury.
Kylie plays for the London Wheelchair Rugby Club and was invited to the GB trials in 2011 where she successfully made selection for the squad. Just a year later she was representing her country as part of the GB Wheelchair Rugby team at the London 2012 Paralympics.
Kylie is a Harlequins Ambassador, motivational speaker and enjoys visiting schools. She also features in Channel 4’s new Tokyo Paralympics advertising campaign which launched in July 2020.
Playing history:
2021: Tokyo Paralympics – 1st
2021: King Power Quad Nations Wheelchair Rugby Tournament, UK – 1st
2020: King Power Quad Nations Wheelchair Rugby Tournament, UK – 2nd
2019: World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge, Tokyo – 4th
2019: European Championships, Denmark – 1st
2012: London Paralympics – 5th
2011: European Championships, Switzerland – 2nd
Q&A
1. How did you first discover the sport of Wheelchair Rugby?
I was quite lucky.
When you have spinal injury and you’re in the hospital as part of your recovery, you can ask to speak to mentors and athletes from other sports.
Because I was into sport, I asked the doctors and nurses. They put me in touch with the SIA (Spinal Injuries Association), who in turn put me in touch with people from Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby in Stanmore, which was near the hospital I was in.
I ended up meeting with players who were heading to the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.
I knew I wouldn’t play straight away, but once I had completed my recovery, I jumped straight in and have been a part of it ever since.
2. What does your classification number mean?
My 0.5 classification is the lower end of classification, and basically it means I am the most disabled.
I broke my neck, and my quadriplegia means I have very limited hand function from my chest down. I don’t have any tricep function, but enough strength to still be in control of my chair.
3. How often do you train?
I train six days a week currently, one of those being a recovery day.
The other five days are very solid training blocks and can range pending on the season. At present, I’ll have three days where I’m in the ‘rugby chair’, completing training sessions focusing on fitness, skills and general game play.
The other two days I’ll be in the gym doing strength and conditioning work, and I’ll also use a hand bike on one of these days for some extra cardio.
4. If you could describe the sport in 3 words, what would they be?
Brutal, fast-paced, energetic.
5. How did you progress to representing the GB team?
I started training for the London Wheelchair Rugby Club, initially three times a week from about 2009.
I then got a call from the Team GB who were based up in Leeds at around 2011, and got invited to show my wares up there. They liked what I put out on the court, and really I’ve been part of the Paralympics GB program ever since.
I gave wheelchair athletics a go for a period of time there, but wheelchair rugby has been my sport since the accident.
6. What was the most exciting match you have played in?
I’ve been fortunate to play in many. Unfortunately, I didn’t play in the Final of the Tokyo Paralympics last year, even though that was one of the most exciting matches of our history.
The most exciting game is probably the most recent Final we played in the Tri Nations tournament, against the USA.
For me it was the first time I had played every minute of a Final. Normally, I would start on the bench, or sub-on or sub-off, however this time I played the full match.
It was an incredible match. The scoreboard was never really ever more than one goal either side. Unfortunately, the Americans pipped us at the end, to hand us the Silver Medal, but it was an absolutely phenomenal game.
7. Where have you travelled to play GBWR?
The progression of the sport has meant that we travel quite a lot.
We have a regular circuit for tournaments across North America, both in the USA and Canada. We’ve also got to go to Australia and New Zealand, and obviously Tokyo, Japan for last year’s Paralympics.
Many of our players play in Europe leagues which can often take them to Germany and Holland too. We do get to see a fair bit of the world, which is lovely.
8. What are your ambitions in the sport?
You have to keep the spark, as you can get tired – whether that’s physically tired, or just tired of the same matches, same tournaments and things like that.
I’ve done everything I want to achieve in the sport. I’ve won Gold medals, but I still love the sport and want to keep going.
I think my main motivation is that I also just want to keep my body at a high level.
Keeping my body fit allows to keep me to keep living a good life. So I’d say that being strong and healthy, and seeing how far I can go in the sport is the main ambition. The team winning medals is an added bonus.
9. Do you have a pre-match routine?
I’m not massively superstitious. Quite often you’ll just find me trying to take a bit of quiet time to myself, usually around 30 minutes.
I’ll do anything from just listen to music, to also taking out a list, which just outlines all the things that I’m good at, and what will help me contribute to helping the team win the match.
It lists out all the positives and it’s just good to reaffirm those before I head out to play.
10. What would your advice be to our young readers who might be interested in trying WR?
Quite often the feedback I get from kids and families is that wheelchair rugby looks scary, and I don’t want to get hurt.
My advice is to just go and give it a go. Step out of comfort zone and try it.
Once you try it, the fear will disappear.
The best thing about wheelchair rugby is that it such a whole community, right from the elite level all the way through to the grassroots. Everyone is so welcoming, and their motivations are just to see you do well and do your best.
So, I just say to people: try your best to get there, you won’t regret it.
If you are interested in playing or volunteering, or just want to watch the big hits up close, visit gbwr.co.uk today to find your nearest club.
