Team USQRA held tryouts this weekend (April 30 - May 3) for the recent edition of "Team USQRA".  The tryouts were held at the home of US Wheelchair Rugby - the Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham, Alabama.  It featured 19 of the youngest and most developing talent in the country.  Troy McGuirk, USQRA head coach, said "there is a lot of talent in the US, and we need to see who wants to step up."  His remarks set the tempo for a new beginning of athlete and staff development in the United States.

The team, which is scheduled to compete at the World Wheelchair Games in India in November of this year,  participated in a tryout that included skills testing, game competition, interviews, and testing in all aspects of the game.  Team USA Head Coach and Instructor for the program, James Gumbert said “it was inspiring to see the desire and ability at the development level”.

Athletes and staff selected to the program include; Travis Anderson (Tucson, AZ), Brian Burger (Louisville, KY), Austin Cogar (Austin, TX), Landon Groff (San Antonio, TX), Eric Ingram (Richmond, VA), Delvin McMillian (Birmingham, AL), Eric Newby (St Louis, MO), Gabe Nyrkkanen (Tucson, AZ), Jeff Odom (Tucson, AZ), Tim Ostler (Salt Lake City, UT), Mike Schamburg (St Louis, MO), and Josh Wheeler (Salt Lake City, UT). Staff: Susan Alvarez (Huntington Beach, CA), Carolyn Boebinger (Seattle, WA), Paula Braaten (Minneapolis, MN), Troy McGuirk (San Diego, CA), Gary Pate (Birmingham, AL), Greg Pizzini (New York, NY), Matt Schamburg (St Louis, MO), Sue Tucker (St Louis, MO), and James Gumbert (Austin, TX)

Athletes compete for spots on Team USQRA - Photo's courtesy Paula Braaten

Those selected will report to the first of many camps in mid May and will begin preparations for their first competition in Rio de Janeiro in June. The team which is designed as a “feeder system” for Team USA Paralympic Rugby will also compete in a bigger club invitational in 2009-2010.

By James Gumbert