South Africa Wheelchair Rugby chat to Ryan Guest about his eight years playing the sport
Ryan Guest has played wheelchair rugby for eight years with the Johannesburg-based team, Mandeville Wheelchair Rugby. We find out a bit more about him.
South Africa Wheelchair Rugby (SA WCR): What inspired you to take up wheelchair rugby, and how did you get started?
Ryan Guest (RG): Boredom is a big challenge for many people with disabilities. Wheelchair rugby offered an opportunity for something to do and get out of the house. Sports are limited for people with disabilities, especially quadriplegics, so it was great to get involved in an exciting and physical sport like wheelchair rugby.
I also wanted to meet new people and make new friends who could relate to my disability and some of the things that we go through as people with disabilities.
SA WCR: Can you share a bit about your background and how you acquired your disability?
RG: I’ve always been a bit of an adrenaline junkie. I love motorsports and motorbikes in particular and used to do motocross. I was in a motorbike accident in 2004. My life changed in an instant, and the accident resulted in me becoming a quadriplegic.
SA WCR: How has wheelchair rugby impacted your life, both on and off the court?
RG: On the court, I’ve made a lot of new friends, both within my own team and across the South African wheelchair rugby community. Off the court, the sport has really helped a lot with improving my strength and fitness, making my daily routines and transfers much easier.
SA WCR: What position do you play, and what do you enjoy most about it?
RG: I am a “low pointer” player with a defensive role on the court. It’s my job to stop the other team from moving forward. I really enjoy the physicality of the sport. We get to “crash-and-bash” each other on court, which is a great release from the daily grind of having a disability.
SA WCR: What’s your favourite memory or achievement in wheelchair rugby so far?
RG: Participating in the 2017 SA WCR Nationals Tournament in Cape Town. Travelling with the team was amazing. The tournament was intense and competitive. I was awarded best low pointer of the season by SA WCR and given the nickname “Bulldog” by the committee. It was a great experience.
SA WCR: How do you prepare for matches and training sessions?
RG: I prepare for matches by attending weekly training sessions with my team. The sessions are a good balance of strength, fitness and tactics. I also gym at home three times a week.
SA WCR: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in wheelchair rugby, and how have you overcome them?
RG: Biggest challenge for me was reaching a level of fitness to compete on tournament days where many games are played on the same day. Also to come to grips with the tactics of a very fast-paced game. But these come quite quickly if you commit and apply yourself well.
SA WCR: Can you describe a particularly tough game or opponent, and how you handled it?
RG: Particularly tough opponents are our friends from Bloemfontein, Mustangs Wheelchair Club. They are a very talented and well-organised team who set the bar in many ways for the wheelchair rugby league. I like to keep them in mind when I’m training to inspire me to keep pushing for my best.
SA WCR: How do you balance your rugby career with other aspects of your life?
RG: It would be better to say that wheelchair rugby has brought some balance to my life.
SA WCR: Who are your rugby heroes or role models, and why?
RG: Firstly, the Australian wheelchair rugby athlete Riley Batt, for achieving his goals through adversity, and becoming one of the best in the world. As a low-pointer, I look up to Trevor Hirschfield from Team Canada. Trevor and I have the same classification level in the sport, and he is one of the best.
SA WCR: How do you hope to inspire others through your own experiences and achievements?
RG: If I can do it, you can do it. I hope that people seeing the positive changes in me would inspire them to get involved in this great sport and community.
SA WCR: What advice would you give to someone new to wheelchair rugby?
RG: Don’t give up on the first few sessions of training. The game might seem difficult and complicated in the beginning, but you quickly find your groove.
SA WCR: What are your short-term and long-term goals in wheelchair rugby?
RG: My short-term goal is to win the 2024 SA WCR League with my team. My long-term goal is to play for the South African National Wheelchair Rugby Team, the Wheelboks, and represent my country internationally.
SA WCR: Do you have your sights set on any major international competitions?
RG: It would be amazing if South Africa could qualify for the Paralympics. The sport is slowly growing in Africa as well, and it would be awesome to play against other African nations that are starting up their own leagues, like Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda.
SA WCR: How do you see yourself contributing to the growth and development of wheelchair rugby?
RG: I see myself introducing as many people to the sport as possible for them to get the same benefits that I have.
SA WCR: What’s your favourite pre-game ritual or superstition?
RG: I must have a protein shake with a scoop of pre-workout before a tournament and adjust my cushion even if I know it’s already okay!
SA WCR: How do you like to celebrate a win?
RG: Going into a huddle with my teammates and singing a victory war-cry on court.
SA WCR: If you could play wheelchair rugby with any celebrity or historical figure, who would it be and why?
RG: Eben Etzebeth. He is an amazing rugby player with an incredible work ethic. It would be great to see how he handles himself in a rugby wheelchair. We just need to find one big enough!