Check out this full-contact wheelchair sport in Kelowna

The kinds of noises echoing out of the Parkinson Recreation Centre gymnasium on most Wednesday afternoons tends to resemble multi-vehicle collisions rather than a team sport.

And unlike actual car collisions, those involved here keep moving, slamming into other metal chassis just moments later in the game of wheelchair rugby.

Combining European handball, rugby, ice hockey and bumper cars, the sport is played exclusively on wheelchairs.

“We get a lot of ‘[this looks] scary’ responses, but usually we get a lot of ‘this is so cool,’” coach Kendra Todd told Kelowna10.

Compared to conventional wheelchairs, these ones look ready for battle. Angled wheels and steel frame bumpers are made to withstand high caliber impacts. Protecting the sides are large round metal caps, covered in massive dents.

The object of the game is to get the round ball over the opposing teams goal line. It can be passed forward or back, and must be dribbled once every 10 seconds.

What is now a recognized Paralympic Games sport played in over 40 countries, can trace its origins to Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1977.

At the time it went by a far more intimidating moniker – Murderball - and was meant for people with physical impairments in at least three limbs.

Today, the game is played by people with or without impartments.

“It’s probably the most semantic, nitty gritty, and finicky sport I’ve ever been around,” Todd said. “It’s really cool seeing how everybody has a role in the court and nothing would happen without everyone present.”

Todd is herself able bodied and grew up in Ontario playing soccer and ice hockey.

She earned her Ph.D. at UBC in the Spinal Cord Injury Action Canada lab, researching the relationship between exercise and pain on individuals with spinal cord injuries.

Through it, she met wheelchair rugby players who encouraged her to give it a try.

“I ended up falling in love with the sport and really meeting some of my best friends,” Todd said. “It’s super competitive and the athletics required to play as well are astronomical. But the family environment and the social support involved with the athletes outside of the court is something super special.”