Day one of Demolition Derby wraps up

Beginning Feb. 2, the Lakeshore Foundation welcomed seven wheelchair rugby teams to its campus for the 21st edition of the Demolition Derby.

Originally called Murderball, wheelchair rugby was first brought from Canada to the United States in 1979 at a demonstration at Southwest Minnesota State University, event information said. Two years later, a man named Brad Mikkelsen, together with University of North Dakota's Disabled Student Services, formed the Wallbangers, the first wheelchair rugby team in the U.S.

Now, according to event information, there are more than 40 organized teams in the country and at least 29 international teams, making wheelchair rugby one of the fastest growing wheelchair sports in the world.

The invitational — which is free of admission and open to the public — features teams from all over the country, with some teams playing six games over the weekend before possibly advancing to the medal rounds. The teams include: Cumberland Quadcrushers, from Nashville; MedStar NRH Punishers, from Washington D.C.; Shepherd Smash, from Atlanta; Tampa Generals, from Tampa; Texas Stampede, from Austin; TIRR Texas, from Houston; and the home team, the Lakeshore Demolition.

The Phoenix Heat were the 2017 champions, however they are not competing in this invitational. They were followed by the MedStar DC Punishers, who finished second, and the Texas Stampede, who finished third.

Games — which are played in four, eight-minute periods — for the 2018 invitational will continue throughout the weekend, with a full day of action starting at 9 a.m. on Feb. 3 and games starting at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 4. The medal rounds will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 4.

For more information about wheelchair rugby or to view the full schedule, click here.