Get to know the competing teams at this year’s Vancouver Invitational.

Similar to BC, Alberta have split into two fairly even teams in preparation for Nationals. Both the Roughnecks and Bighorns have a mix of newer and experienced players plus D1 and D2 talent.

Coaches Bruce Crosby and Cliff Wooten will get to try out different strategies against a number of familiar foes.

Roughnecks

Hi-lo rugby has become increasingly popular in recent years and the Roughnecks will get to play a lot of it with high-pointers Tristan Kowal, Denolm Stephens and Lana Cicko joined by a group of talented low-pointers in Andrew Cheung, Kasey Aiello and BJ Engerdahl.

They’ve definitely got some pace to them and it’ll be intriguing to see how the Roughnecks can exploit the space as they look for another appearance in the final.

Alberta Bighorns

The Bighorns have a lot of experienced players led by Ken Hicks and Dave Guiry, two talented veterans who are capable of playing above their class.

The older guard is joined by a handful of emerging newer talents in the big and hard-to-move Kurt Timmonds (he gives our site admin nightmares on the court) and Kim Fayzant, a brand new player with speed to burn.

Ones To Watch

Tristan Kowal 3.5 – Alberta Roughnecks
The new kid on the block for Alberta is a speedy new player bursting with potential. Look for him to be the focal point of the Roughnecks offense and an aggressive defender on the other side of the ball.

Dave Guiry 1.5 – Alberta Bighorns
Wit and Wingspan are two words that can describe Dave Guiry’s game. He uses his long arms to power a speedy push, make impressive passes and disrupt opposing attackers.

Get to know the competing teams at this year’s Vancouver Invitational.

The hosts have split into two teams BC 1 and BC 2 to compete this year as the program continues its prep for the 2024 Canadian Nationals.

With Trevor Hirschfield, Byron Green and Joel Ewert all away with Team Canada at the Paralympic Qualification Tournament, this year’s VI will be a great opportunity for other faces to seize the spotlight in expanded roles.

BC 1

The smaller of the two squads has six athletes, including four Division 1 players in Julia Hanes, Max Arsenault, Andrew Davis and William McCreight, who are in the midst of a strong season with great results in Seattle and Montreal. These four give Coach Kendra Todd a strong projected starting line-up.

Scott James makes his return to the VI court after a couple of seasons away and should give them great energy off the bench, while hard-working Marta Pawlik makes her tournament debut this year.

BC 2

The ball will move on this team, with a large roster full of BC’s Division 2 players reinforced by D1 3.5 Brandon Perger, who’ll be relied upon as a crucial playmaker.

Rookies Brooke Perepeluk and Caleb Brousseau should see a fair amount of court time for BC 2 as fill-in coach Nathan Bragg has a few different line-ups to get on court.

Ones To Watch

William McCreight 1.0 -BC 1
The Man, The Myth, The Mustache. William McCreight has emerged as a key player for BC in recent years and continues to improve. A very quick low-pointer and impressive screener who has the ability to play above his class, Will’s skill at creating flow will be a massive help to BC 1’s playmakers.

Julia Hanes – 3.0F – BC 1
As BC 1’s high-pointer, Julia is her team’s top offensive option. She’s made great strides this season and significantly improved her passing game.

Opposing players will have to watch for her strong right arm, which she uses to effectively grab steals, block passes, and apply pressure on defense.


Josh Holton 2.0 – BC2
Josh was an all-star at last year’s tournament and brings infectious enthusiasm to his team. He always seems to play his best at the Invitational.

He’s got great speed for a 2.0 and is developing into a phenomenal defender up high. He can often be seen with a big grin on the court as he finds ways around defenders.


Jessica Kruger 2.5F
Jessica is one of the most experienced players in the BC program and brings great poise and leadership to her fresh-faced squad. An accurate passer who’s skilled at directing traffic, Jess will likely have a key role as a safety valve when her team gets into trouble or needs to reset.

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Get to know the competing teams at this year’s Vancouver Invitational.

The Seattle Slam are Vancouver Invitational regulars and are entering two teams in this year’s tournament for the second straight year. Seattle has split their usual playing squad into two fairly even teams, with Slam 1 taking a more hi-lo approach to their line-up and Slam 2 going with balance.

Ranked 21st in the United States Wheelchair Rugby Association (USWRA), Seattle will play at the Western Semifinals in Las Vegas in April.

Seattle Slam 1

Slam 1’s hi-lo means they’ll often have two hi-point players (like Shane Crider and Kaley Dugger) on the court with two low-point players (like Sebastian Broussard and Chris McCarty) on the court together.

McCarty’s age reduction means they also can run a bit of balance and get three ball handlers on the court, with 2.0 Brian Moore joining the two high-pointers.

Ones To Watch

Sebastian Broussard 0.5 – Seattle Slam 1

Seb is back! The young and talented 0.5 moved away and joined the Ability 360 Heat to take his game to the next level, but he’s back with the Slam at the Invitational.

Quick and shifty for a 0.5, Seb was the All-Tournament Low-Pointer last year. He does a fantastic job creating flow, helping his teammates get up and down the court on offense, and containing threats on defense. Seb won’t get the ball much, but he always makes a big impact on the court.

Jeremy Hannaford 1.0 – Seattle Slam 1

The player/coach of the Slam, Jeremy, is integral to everything Seattle does on and off the ball. An incredibly strong picker who’s difficult to get off of.

Hannaford’s ability to play above his classification creates mismatches for his team, and his vocal leadership will help direct traffic on the floor.

Michael Lykins – Seattle Slam 2

We all want to be like Mike. Michael Lykins is an experienced member of the Slam who’s having a banner season in the USWRA. Lykins has won multiple Best Mid-Pointer awards this season and is a big reason why the Slam are in the postseason.

He’s got great speed for a 2.0 and should be one of their primary playmakers at the Oval. Watch out for him to get into plenty of exciting races with opposing defenders.

Jake Wheeler 2.5 – Seattle Slam 2
One of the faces of the Vancouver Invitational who’s been in plenty of most memorable photos in recent years. Jake is an incredibly steady player with great size and distribution skills, making him an ideal post-up player and offensive hub for the Slam off the inbound.

A big hitter with deceptive speed, he’ll be huge in Seattle’s effort to get out of a competitive pool.

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The best wheelchair rugby in the Pacific Northwest returns to the Richmond Olympic Oval this March! You don’t want to miss this exciting tournament featuring club and provincial teams from across Canada and the United States.

Stay tuned for all the tournament info, including the game schedule, team rosters, previews, profiles, and more, starting next month.

Admission to this tournament is by donation, and we welcome new and returning spectators to come out and enjoy rugby like you’ve never seen before.

The Alberta Roughnecks and the Portland Pounders added another title to their trophy cabinets at the 2023 Vancouver Invitational.

In Division 1, tournament MVP and international superstar Zak Madell teamed up with American Josh Wheeler to power the Roughnecks to their first D1 VI title.

The Roughnecks went a perfect 5-0 and weathered a tough match from Ontario to prevail 50-48.

In Division 2, the Portland Pounders won their ninth Vancouver Invitational. Tournament MVP Justin Beavers proved too tough for any team to slow down as the Pounders won each match by at least 10 points.

Hometown favorites BC2 improved greatly from pool play to the final, turning an earlier 30-point blowout into a far more respectable 10-point score as Josh Holton and Julia Hanes earned all-tournament honors.

All-Stars and MVP
D1
Best Low-Pointer – Trevor Hirschfield (BC1)
Best Mid-Pointer – Anthony Letourneau (Quebec)
Best High-Pointer – Reid Mulligan (Ontario)
MVP – Zak Madell (Alberta)

D2
Best Low-Pointer – Sebastian Broussard (Seattle 1)
Best Mid-Pointer – Josh Holton (BC2)
Best High-Pointer – Julia Hanes (BC2)
MVP: Justin Beavers (Portland)

Final Results

D1
1. Alberta Roughnecks
2. Ontario Thunder
3. Quebec 1
4. BC 1

D2
1. Portland Pounders
2. BC2
3. Seattle 1
4. Seattle 2
5. Alberta Bighorns
6. Quebec 2

Alberta’s D2 is ready to compete and attempt to complete a 3-peat at this year’s Vancouver Invitational.

They’ve got a new-look to their team this year with Cory Harrower returning to competitive rugby after taking some time away from the sport and new players like Cody Kerbs adding to the squad. The new faces will be joined by a number of established D2 regulars.

Ones To Watch

Kenny Hicks 2.0*

The ageless wonder continues to impress and is still among the best mid-point players in the division. A smart player who spaces the court well and uses his voice to direct play even when he doesn’t the ball. Underestimate this willy veteran at your own risk.

Cory Harrower 3.0F

A multiple-time All-Star and Canadian Nationals and a player with significant D1 experience, Cory Harrower is back on the rugby court and ready to play! Shifty and strong, she’ll be the key offensive playmaker for Alberta in this year’s competitive D2 field.

Alberta 2 will open their campaign vs Quebec 2 on Friday March 31 at 10am.

Roster

Seattle Slam 2 is bringing a hi-lo to D2. The 2nd of the two Seattle teams, Slam 2, definitely isn’t a B squad. Player/Coach Jeremy Hannaford will look to lead the way and direct his newer high-pointers to find breakdowns in the defense.

Ones To Watch

Kaley Dugger 3.5F

Fresh off competing with Canada at the Women’s Cup, Dugger will bring her intensity and agility back to her club. One of the quickest players in this year’s D2 field, she’ll be a challenge for opposing teams to keep in check. Watch out for her match-ups with old teammates when Seattle faces BC 2 and Alberta 2!

Jeremy Hannaford 1.0

The veteran class 1.0 in the team’s hi-lo line-up, Hannaford will likely have a key role as an inbounder and a strong defender. His strong pick is difficult for opposing players to get off of, and in the fast-paced sport of Wheelchair Rugby, a couple of seconds can be the difference between a try and a turnover.

Seattle Slam This Season

The Slam has been a solid D2/D3 team all year long in the USWRA posting strong results at their home tournament, the Slam On The Sound, back in the fall and more recently at the Paul Gray Memorial Wheelchair Rugby Tournament in Texas.

Roster

Follow the Slam on Facebook and Instagram to learn more.

Always a crowd favorite at the Vancouver Invitational, the Seattle Slam return this year with not one, but two teams.

Seattle Slam 1 brings a balanced line-up to the Oval with three ball handlers and rapidly improving 0.5 Sebastien Broussard.

By splitting their teams in two, the Slam has put in two distinctive teams where everyone should see time on the floor.

Ones To Watch

Sebastian Broussard 0.5

Broussard represented the United States in Low-Point Wheelchair Rugby at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, and has shown tons of potential the past few years. Watch out for his impressive bump pass both off on inbounds and in a pinch.

Jake Wheeler 2.5

A great post-up player and heavy hitter, Wheeler recently made the switch from Portland to Seattle and gives the Slam another strong mid-point player. A talented passer with a forceful push, he’ll be tough for defenses to contain.

Seattle Slam 1 open the competition on Friday, March 31 at noon vs Seattle Slam 2 on Court 2.

The Portland Pounders are back again in 2023 and have their sights set on the title after finishing as runners-up for the past two years.

A fixture at the VI, Portland has competed in every edition of the tournament and has won titles in both Division 1 and Division 2.

Offensively they’ll be led by 3.5 Justin Beavers and 3.0 Michael Summerson, while a stable of savvy and speedy low-pointers will look to cause havoc on defense and open up lanes for Beavers and Summerson to attack.

Ones to Watch

Justin Beavers (3.5)

The speedy 3.5 and emerging talent continues to improve for Portland/ Incredibly agile with phenomenal turning ability, he’s taken his game up a notch this year, learning under Canadian star Zak Madell and helping Portland to the 5th seed in the USWRA rankings.

With Madell busy with Team Alberta in Vancouver, Beavers will have the reigns of Portland’s offense in D2 as they look to make their 3rd straight final and come out on top this year.

Max Woodbury – 1.0

One of the most experienced players at this year’s event – Woodbury was named Best Low-Pointer last year and should once again cause plenty of problems for opposing teams at the Oval!

With great speed for his classification, an underrated pass and the smarts to manipulate opposing players, don’t be surprised to see Max make clutch plays for the Pounders. Great low-pointers are often x-factors at the D2 level, and Max is definitely one of them.

Portland This Season

As mentioned above, Portland is currently ranked 5th in the USWRA. They’ll be competing in Division 1 at U.S. Nationals next month in Rockford, Illinois, and have been one of the stronger teams on the West Coast this season.

Portland will open the Vancouver Invitational on Friday, March 31st at 10am against Alberta 2 on Court 2.

We’re excited to announce that registration for the 2023 Vancouver Invitational Wheelchair Rugby Tournament is now open

We’re hoping to host a six-team D1 and six-team D2 tournament this year with a mix of international teams, elite clubs, and developing squads from around the world.

The full registration package is available here and team managers should send any questions to Tournament Director Jackie Patatas at jackie@bcwheelchairsports.com

Important deadlines:

• Team Confirmation: January 30^th
• Roster Form submission: February 15^th
• Accommodation booking: February 28^th
• Transportation Form: February 28^th

We look forward to welcoming the wheelchair rugby world back to the Richmond Olympic Oval this spring.