Leading up to the Games, the team will be training and doing a bit of traveling, which on its own can be physically taxing. The team will be going from Melbourne to Beijing to Vancouver.
“With our team being spread across Canada when we do get together, it's very intense, for we know at this level it's the team that makes the least amount of mistakes that will win,” Schmutz said.
Aiming for their best
Wheelchair rugby made its way onto the Paralympic program in 1996 at the Paralympic Summer Games in Atlanta, USA as a demo sport and became a competitive Paralympic sport at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Summer Games. Canada won the silver at the Athens 2004 Games and placed fourth in Sydney.
“Our only objective is to perform to the best of our abilities,” Schmutz said of her goals for Beijing. “We have been one of the top teams for the last five years and have as good a chance as any team to bring home gold. At this level, as for many sports, it's who performs the best on that given day. I think our country, coaching and support staff have given us the tools, now it's up to us to use them.”
Eight countries will compete this September at the Science and Technology Beijing Gymnasium for the wheelchair rugby gold medal. The Paralympic Summer Games open on Saturday September 6. The wheelchair rugby competition starts September 12, with the finals on September 16.
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