Nearly 60 athletes will pack into the MSA Fieldhouse in Grand Rapids for the 13th annual Thunderfest.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Six elite wheelchair rugby teams from across the United States and Canada are coming together in Grand Rapids this weekend to face off in a tournament.
Nearly 60 athletes will pack into the MSA Fieldhouse in Grand Rapids on Saturday and Sunday for the 13th annual Thunderfest.
The tournament, hosted by Mary Free Bed Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports, “combines the speed of basketball with the impact of football — all from the seat of a specially designed, heavy-duty sports chair.”
Christy Vanhaver, a sports coordinator for Mary Free Bed, said the sport helps show the athletes that they can still compete at a high level.
“To come out to a practice and see that, you know, they’re not fragile just because they have a disability, that they can be very competitive, that they can, you know, crash into each other and belong to a community that is very supportive,” Vanhaver said.
Teams at the tournament include the University of Michigan Wolverines, the Chicago Bears, the Ohio Buckeye Blitz, the London Annihilators and the Las Vegas High Rollers.
“These athletes are serious, competitive athletes,” Vanhaver said. “They get a lot from camaraderie and belonging and all of the very organic things that come with being part of a team. But at the end of the day, they want to win. They want to be competitive. They want to work together well.”
The tournament is free and open to the public.
