Dan Buckingham

How does it feel going to the Paralympic Games?

Oscar

Athens was so exciting – it was new to me and I didn't know what to expect. Once I was there I had a great time. Going into Beijing is different, as I kind of know what to expect, so I am a little more mellow going into these games.

Dan Buckingham clashes with Patrick Ryan (Australia) at the 2007 Chris Handy Cup in Invercargill.

How does it feel to be Captain of the Wheel Blacks?

Oscar

Very humbling, especially considering the strength and integrity of the other players in the team. It is something I aspired to early on, and now I have it is something I hope I will never take for granted – I try to keep it in the back of my mind that it is something that can be taken away from me if I don't represent the position to the high standard it deserves.

What’s the best thing about being Captain?

Brooklyn

I am easy to approach, and the team knows I will do what I can to change things if something isn't right, so it feels good to be trusted to be able to make a difference when I have to.

Do you play any other sport? What is it?

Harry

I have played wheelchair tennis and I have tried track racing. Both were a lot of fun, but right now I really just want to focus on doing my best for the Wheel Blacks.

How long do you practice and how often?

Natstash

We practice a lot! We usually train 6 days a week, and often more than once a day. Training sessions are between 1 and 2 hours. They vary from ball skills to lifting weights to aerobic work.

What happens if you crash into other people during the game – are you penalised? Does it hurt?

Emily

Wheelchair rugby is full chair on chair contact, so you can crash into each other as hard as you like. It is a fun part of the game, and although it looks like it might hurt it is actually a lot harder on the wheel chairs than on the body – the chairs often have to get fixed but it is very rare than anyone gets injured.

How do you score a goal – is it through a special goal/net or normal basketball hoop?

Alice

There is a goal marked at each end of the court. You have to wheel through the goal with the ball. A goal is worth one point, and scores usually get up to 40 or 50 points each, so the game is really fast and high scoring.

When did you first learn to play? Was it hard to learn?

Jayden and Tawhi

I first heard about wheelchair rugby after I hurt myself in 1999 and ended up in a wheelchair. I went and watched the Wheel Blacks playing in Christchurch while I was still in hospital. It looked like a lot of fun so I had a go and really enjoyed it. It was easy to learn, but hard work!

How does it feel to be picked for the Olympics?

Jayden

It is exciting and feels great, but the real goal is not just to go to the Paralympics, but to go there and win the Gold medal.

Do you get nervous before you play?

Brooklyn

Not really. I know how to play the game, so it doesn't matter if it is a big final or a local club game. I just get out there and treat it like just another game and do what I know how to do. The only time I do get nervous is if I feel like I haven't prepared well, or if I am tired, and I know it is going to be hard to play like I normally do.

What sports did you play before you were paralysed?

Gianni

Winter was rugby while summer was softball and surfing.

What got you interested in Wheel Chair Rugby?

Tawhi

Initially it was the opportunity to travel – we get to travel all over the world to play. Once I started getting into it though I just really enjoyed playing the game itself – we take the game really seriously (sometimes too seriously!) but at the end of the day it is just a lot of fun to play.

Was it hard to learn? What are the rules?

Tawhi

The sport was developed in America, so the rules are based on American sports like Gridiron, basketball and ice hockey more than normal rugby. Basically you have to carry the ball up the court and score between the cones. Along the way you have to bounce or pass the ball every 10 seconds. You can pass the ball forward or back. Players can 'block' or 'screen' for you by taking out defenders, much like Gridiron. There are heaps of other more technical rules, some of which can be confusing and hard to learn, but that is the basic premise of the game.

What does it feel like when you win a medal?

Joshua

Initially when we won the Gold medal in Athens it was a relief because it felt like we had so much pressure on us to do it. Once it sunk in it was a feeling of achievement – of having done something great that no one can ever take away from us. I still look back to winning the Gold in Athens with that feeling of achievement and contentment – of having gone up against the world and achieved something great.

Read more about Dan's build up to the Beijing Olympic games in our exclusive article, Every Stone Turned.

Updated | 31 Oct 2008.

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