00:00:13
S1: If you've just joined us, you're listening to Vision Australia Radio. The very special Adelaide Independent Living Expo that's happening right now at the Jubilee Pavilion. We're at ten 190 Broadcasting Live. Would you believe it? Uh, and so if you're listening to us now, well, you're on Vision Australia Radio 1190 7 a.m.. Also on digital via radio Iris and also online@radio.org or just through the Community Radio Plus app or any other, uh, streaming gizmo that you can find out there. It's been, it's been a, an amazing broadcast and we're entering our last half an hour, uh, for today, but, uh, fear not, we will be back tomorrow, but we'll talk about that a bit later on right now. I've got a guest in front of me. Uh, I've got Andy Phillips with me today. Hello, Andy.
00:01:09
S2: How are you?
00:01:09
S1: Very well, thank you. Thank you for joining us today and taking the leap, taking the jump. Uh, and so we're going to talk about wheelchair rugby in South Australia. Tell me. Wheelchair rugby. That seems dangerous to me.
00:01:22
S2: Well, ironically, it was, um. It came about by quadriplegic in Canada, deciding they wanted to play some contact sport. Yeah. So, um, back in the late 90s, they got together and decided that they would make a contact sport as opposed to just pushing around, throwing and passing balls around. And, um, in 1996, it became a demonstration sport at the Olympics. And then, um, in 2000 in Sydney, it became a Paralympic sport and has continued right through to today and ongoing.
00:01:58
S1: Wonderful. Okay. So not knowing very much about the sport, I know a bit about rugby. I used to play rugby, you know, running rugby on my feet when I was at school. One thing that strikes me is the terrain, right? I mean, I've played muddy rugby, muddy as hell. Um. How how does that work in a wheelchair?
00:02:18
S2: Well, we don't get bogged because they play on what's essentially a basketball court. It's an indoor sport. Um, it was originally called Murderball and it was decided that from a PR point of view, probably not the greatest way to attract players. So it ended up being called wheelchair rugby. It draws from rugby union. Um, from basketball, from hockey, from various combinations of sport. Um, all put together to be played indoors on a basketball court.
00:02:49
S1: Of course. So, so what you're saying is, um, with, with a sport like this for people who are in a wheelchair, it's not about just transposing the game exactly the same, but it's actually, of course, adapting it to, to what can be done. And I suppose to make it fun, right? How how did the those changes evolve? Did the sport arrive and it's never changed? Or does it evolve through? Did it evolve?
00:03:13
S2: It has evolved through time and it continues to evolve. Um, if nothing else, just the fact that originally, as I say, it was quadriplegics put it together and now it's a whole range of, of, um, different, um, people from different streams. The basic rules are you have to have three affected limbs. Okay. Um, so, um, yeah, it might be both your legs and an arm or whatever. Uh, and then the, um, the mobility of those limbs is all put together through a combination and it gives you a classification, right? So depending on your function and mobility of your four limbs and your, your core, that will give you a number that ranges between 0.5 and 3.5.
00:04:02
S1: Okay.
00:04:03
S2: And that then dictates how many or what people you can have on court. So you can have a maximum of eight points on court. But um, yeah, so you can't have four, 3.5 because you can only have eight points on court at any one time, right?
00:04:20
S1: Okay. So the classification is not so much in terms of each team. Is that classification. But it's a calculation of maximum amount of points. Very strategic as opposed to put a team together.
00:04:32
S2: Extremely strategic. Very, very much so. And, um, of course, not only do you have the, uh, the mobility and the function of those individual people, but they have a strategic and tactical role to play.
00:04:44
S1: Mhm.
00:04:45
S2: So you may be a high pointer, a ball carrier, you'll have a role, but then the low pointer has got a role to defend that high pointer. So it's very, very strategic.
00:04:57
S1: I can imagine. Um all right so let's let's talk about. So your title is state and Development program coach. So, um, you're in a good position to tell us about how many teams are there, are there clubs throughout the states? Um, what are the numbers here? Where are we at in South Australia with wheelchair rugby.
00:05:18
S2: So we don't have a formal competition as such. Okay. Um we don't have um a huge base of, of players. Um it's growing, which on the one hand we don't want more people in wheelchairs, but we would like more players. Um, so what we do effectively is we have a range of players from purely social right through to high performance players that have played internationally, and so on and so forth. We have a current player at the moment who's part of the Steelers, which is the Australian national team, right. We all get together on a Monday and we train, um, just like any other sport. We have our drills and our routines that we go through. And then on a Wednesday we have a game night, which is, um, essentially it's a, what we call a bash is everybody turns up and then we sit down, we don't worry too much about, um, classifications and the technicalities of it. We just pick two reasonably evenly matched teams and they just beat each other up for four quarters and everybody has a good time.
00:06:25
S1: Sounds sounds like fun. Um, now, uh, I'm to understand that you've actually here at the ASA Expo, you've set up a court and you're doing some demonstration. Is that right?
00:06:37
S2: That's right. We've got demonstrations on tomorrow. We'll have, um, 3 or 4 of our players down here in their chairs. Um, And if people want to come along and jump in a chair and have a go as well, we'll. Is that right? Yes, yes. Anybody can have a try. Okay. Um, but it's more about um showing people. This is our sport. This is what you can do. Um, if people want it, they can have a go, but it's more just making people aware of this is. You can, you might be in a wheelchair, but it doesn't stop you from, from doing stuff.
00:07:05
S1: Of course. And you are listening to Vision Australia Radio right here in Adelaide. You may. Be actually in Darwin and and listening to us. And if you are welcome, welcome to the broadcast. Uh, so in Adelaide, we're on 1190 7 a.m. and in Darwin we're on VA radio digital. But that's also the case in Adelaide, VA radio digital, Iris digital or online. Uh, we're going to conclude our chat with Andy Phillips from, uh, wheelchair rugby essay. Andy, first tell me, how can people join? What's the where can they find you?
00:07:44
S2: So, um, we are based in the Hampstead Rehabilitation center up on Hampstead Road. Um, we train on a Monday night and we play on a Wednesday night from about 530 6:00 onwards. Um, if you want to come and have a look, either to with a view of playing or just to have a look, watch a game more than welcome. There's no fees or anything. You just turn up and find your way to the gym there and that's where we'll be.
00:08:09
S1: Excellent. So inclusive and so, so welcoming.
00:08:13
S2: Yes.
00:08:13
S1: Excellent. Oh that's fabulous. Thank you so much. Let's remind our listeners just to be sure if they didn't hear it. When is your demo tomorrow. And where exactly? At the expo.
00:08:23
S2: Uh, we're in the sports precinct, um, which is down in the southern end of the pavilion, uh, from 1215 to 1:00. Um, but we've got a stall here, a stand rather, um, okay.
00:08:36
S1: So they can come to the demo, but they can actually just come and talk to.
00:08:38
S2: You. Come and chat to us. Grab a flyer. Yep.
00:08:41
S1: Excellent.
00:08:42
S2: Anytime.
00:08:42
S1: Thank you so much for visiting us, Andy. It's a pleasure. It's been a pleasure for for me too. Excellent. All right. And a good continuation to rugby. It sounds like a lot of fun. It is excellent.
S1: If you've just joined us, you're listening to Vision Australia Radio. The very special Adelaide Independent Living Expo that's happening right now at the Jubilee Pavilion. We're at ten 190 Broadcasting Live. Would you believe it? Uh, and so if you're listening to us now, well, you're on Vision Australia Radio 1190 7 a.m.. Also on digital via radio Iris and also online@radio.org or just through the Community Radio Plus app or any other, uh, streaming gizmo that you can find out there. It's been, it's been a, an amazing broadcast and we're entering our last half an hour, uh, for today, but, uh, fear not, we will be back tomorrow, but we'll talk about that a bit later on right now. I've got a guest in front of me. Uh, I've got Andy Phillips with me today. Hello, Andy.
00:01:09
S2: How are you?
00:01:09
S1: Very well, thank you. Thank you for joining us today and taking the leap, taking the jump. Uh, and so we're going to talk about wheelchair rugby in South Australia. Tell me. Wheelchair rugby. That seems dangerous to me.
00:01:22
S2: Well, ironically, it was, um. It came about by quadriplegic in Canada, deciding they wanted to play some contact sport. Yeah. So, um, back in the late 90s, they got together and decided that they would make a contact sport as opposed to just pushing around, throwing and passing balls around. And, um, in 1996, it became a demonstration sport at the Olympics. And then, um, in 2000 in Sydney, it became a Paralympic sport and has continued right through to today and ongoing.
00:01:58
S1: Wonderful. Okay. So not knowing very much about the sport, I know a bit about rugby. I used to play rugby, you know, running rugby on my feet when I was at school. One thing that strikes me is the terrain, right? I mean, I've played muddy rugby, muddy as hell. Um. How how does that work in a wheelchair?
00:02:18
S2: Well, we don't get bogged because they play on what's essentially a basketball court. It's an indoor sport. Um, it was originally called Murderball and it was decided that from a PR point of view, probably not the greatest way to attract players. So it ended up being called wheelchair rugby. It draws from rugby union. Um, from basketball, from hockey, from various combinations of sport. Um, all put together to be played indoors on a basketball court.
00:02:49
S1: Of course. So, so what you're saying is, um, with, with a sport like this for people who are in a wheelchair, it's not about just transposing the game exactly the same, but it's actually, of course, adapting it to, to what can be done. And I suppose to make it fun, right? How how did the those changes evolve? Did the sport arrive and it's never changed? Or does it evolve through? Did it evolve?
00:03:13
S2: It has evolved through time and it continues to evolve. Um, if nothing else, just the fact that originally, as I say, it was quadriplegics put it together and now it's a whole range of, of, um, different, um, people from different streams. The basic rules are you have to have three affected limbs. Okay. Um, so, um, yeah, it might be both your legs and an arm or whatever. Uh, and then the, um, the mobility of those limbs is all put together through a combination and it gives you a classification, right? So depending on your function and mobility of your four limbs and your, your core, that will give you a number that ranges between 0.5 and 3.5.
00:04:02
S1: Okay.
00:04:03
S2: And that then dictates how many or what people you can have on court. So you can have a maximum of eight points on court. But um, yeah, so you can't have four, 3.5 because you can only have eight points on court at any one time, right?
00:04:20
S1: Okay. So the classification is not so much in terms of each team. Is that classification. But it's a calculation of maximum amount of points. Very strategic as opposed to put a team together.
00:04:32
S2: Extremely strategic. Very, very much so. And, um, of course, not only do you have the, uh, the mobility and the function of those individual people, but they have a strategic and tactical role to play.
00:04:44
S1: Mhm.
00:04:45
S2: So you may be a high pointer, a ball carrier, you'll have a role, but then the low pointer has got a role to defend that high pointer. So it's very, very strategic.
00:04:57
S1: I can imagine. Um all right so let's let's talk about. So your title is state and Development program coach. So, um, you're in a good position to tell us about how many teams are there, are there clubs throughout the states? Um, what are the numbers here? Where are we at in South Australia with wheelchair rugby.
00:05:18
S2: So we don't have a formal competition as such. Okay. Um we don't have um a huge base of, of players. Um it's growing, which on the one hand we don't want more people in wheelchairs, but we would like more players. Um, so what we do effectively is we have a range of players from purely social right through to high performance players that have played internationally, and so on and so forth. We have a current player at the moment who's part of the Steelers, which is the Australian national team, right. We all get together on a Monday and we train, um, just like any other sport. We have our drills and our routines that we go through. And then on a Wednesday we have a game night, which is, um, essentially it's a, what we call a bash is everybody turns up and then we sit down, we don't worry too much about, um, classifications and the technicalities of it. We just pick two reasonably evenly matched teams and they just beat each other up for four quarters and everybody has a good time.
00:06:25
S1: Sounds sounds like fun. Um, now, uh, I'm to understand that you've actually here at the ASA Expo, you've set up a court and you're doing some demonstration. Is that right?
00:06:37
S2: That's right. We've got demonstrations on tomorrow. We'll have, um, 3 or 4 of our players down here in their chairs. Um, And if people want to come along and jump in a chair and have a go as well, we'll. Is that right? Yes, yes. Anybody can have a try. Okay. Um, but it's more about um showing people. This is our sport. This is what you can do. Um, if people want it, they can have a go, but it's more just making people aware of this is. You can, you might be in a wheelchair, but it doesn't stop you from, from doing stuff.
00:07:05
S1: Of course. And you are listening to Vision Australia Radio right here in Adelaide. You may. Be actually in Darwin and and listening to us. And if you are welcome, welcome to the broadcast. Uh, so in Adelaide, we're on 1190 7 a.m. and in Darwin we're on VA radio digital. But that's also the case in Adelaide, VA radio digital, Iris digital or online. Uh, we're going to conclude our chat with Andy Phillips from, uh, wheelchair rugby essay. Andy, first tell me, how can people join? What's the where can they find you?
00:07:44
S2: So, um, we are based in the Hampstead Rehabilitation center up on Hampstead Road. Um, we train on a Monday night and we play on a Wednesday night from about 530 6:00 onwards. Um, if you want to come and have a look, either to with a view of playing or just to have a look, watch a game more than welcome. There's no fees or anything. You just turn up and find your way to the gym there and that's where we'll be.
00:08:09
S1: Excellent. So inclusive and so, so welcoming.
00:08:13
S2: Yes.
00:08:13
S1: Excellent. Oh that's fabulous. Thank you so much. Let's remind our listeners just to be sure if they didn't hear it. When is your demo tomorrow. And where exactly? At the expo.
00:08:23
S2: Uh, we're in the sports precinct, um, which is down in the southern end of the pavilion, uh, from 1215 to 1:00. Um, but we've got a stall here, a stand rather, um, okay.
00:08:36
S1: So they can come to the demo, but they can actually just come and talk to.
00:08:38
S2: You. Come and chat to us. Grab a flyer. Yep.
00:08:41
S1: Excellent.
00:08:42
S2: Anytime.
00:08:42
S1: Thank you so much for visiting us, Andy. It's a pleasure. It's been a pleasure for for me too. Excellent. All right. And a good continuation to rugby. It sounds like a lot of fun. It is excellent.
