For the last couple weeks, US wheelchair
rugby athlete, Ray Hennagir and his teammate Chad Cohn have been at Residency
Camp in preparation for the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games. While Cohn has
attended the games before, this will be the first time for Hennagir.
"I am happy to go out and be able to
represent the US,' Hennagir said. "I'm not going to lie; I am a
little nervous since it is my first time going to a stage like this. But
overall, I'm feeling excited to get down there and see what it is all
about.'
"I am excited for Ray; he has put in a
ton of work especially with him not just being new to the team but also the
sport in general,' Cohn added.
Hennagir had been playing wheelchair
basketball before switching to wheelchair rugby.
"I was invited to play rugby to see what
I thought about the sport. After a couple of practices, I learned that I
enjoyed the physicality of the game. It also was more fast-paced than I
anticipated - which was a nice draw because I like faster-paced sports.'
Hennagir explained.
Shortly after those first practices, Hennagir
tried out for the National Team and secured his spot on the team.
"It does bring back memories of when I
was the new guy. For that reason, I tell our newest teammates to enjoy the moment
because before you know it it's going to be gone again – and it does come back
for another four years,' said Cohn.
Now, after weeks of training with the team,
Hennagir and Cohn set their sights on the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games.
"The work we put in is top to bottom -
from the new guys, veterans, coaches, strength and conditioning, nutrition,
alternates, and key leadership. I would say that we have a pretty good chance
of securing Olympic qualification,' Cohn added.
"We just need to go down and perform to
the ability we know we can,' Hennagir remarked.
"We have put together a team that can
compete with anyone in the world right now. And not just compete but come out
on top,' Cohn concluded.
That's precisely what the rugby community is rooting for. The Lima 2019 Parapan American Games take place 23 August through 1 September. Tune into USA Wheelchair Rugby Facebook page for updates and streaming information.
