Wheelchair Football
Wheelchair Football is a fast-paced sport that is best played when athletes are in maximum physical condition, and at the top of their game in teamwork, strategy and wheelchair handling skills for both manual wheelchair and power wheelchair users.
Categories
Level 1 - Fully functioning arms, hands andeyes (paraplegics, amputees, non-disabled,etc.). Players must catch and hold onto the ball. To tackle another individual you must touch (one-hand tag) the person, not their chair. Grabbing someone's chair is considered holding.
Level 2 - Limited arm and hand movement (quadriplegics, etc.) or visually-impaired. Players must have the ball hit them anywhere between the hands th their elbows (with enough force that some deflection occurs in the flight of the ball) for a pass completion. In other words, a ball grazing the hair on you knuckle doesn't count. On kick-offs and punts, having the ball hit or bounce anywhere into the front of the body/chair, or running over the ball counts as a possession. After "catching" the ball or gaining possession, players proceed to "run" without the ball (defensive players need to go after them, NOT the ball). To tackle someone, ANY contact from you/your chair with them/their chair is sufficient. Fumbles may be recovered by rolling over the ball or trapping it underneath the chair.
Level 3 - Minimal or no arm movement (high quadriplegics, etc.) or blind. Same rules as level 2 players except a pass completiononly requires being hit by the ball in the front or side of the body from the waist up, or in the back of the head/headrest. Noise making devices (beeping football, portable radios taped on wheelchairs, etc.) can be used to help blind players locate their target..[3]Number of Players - 5 to 14. Varies on field size and player turnout. Can be played with only five players.
