Next up in our team profiles are the two teams from Alberta.

Alberta Roughnecks (D1)

Alberta are on the rise. They finished in 2nd at the 2018 Canadian Wheelchair Rugby Championships and will look to do one better and make a statement at the Invitational.

Wheelchair rugby is booming in Alberta and all of their A Team players have experience with the national or NextGen programs.

Watch Out For!

The Dynamic Duo: Zak Madell and Branden Troutman

These two are FAST!!!!

Speedy Zak Madell led Team Canada in scoring at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics. Although retired from international play, the silver medalist from Okotoks is still one of the country’s most talented rugby players. Defenders will have to keep their hands on their wheels to have any hope of keeping up with his pace.

His running mate is 20-year-old Branden Troutman. The youngest member of the Canadian wheelchair rugby team is fresh off winning a gold medal with Alberta’s wheelchair basketball team at the 2019 Canada Winter Games, and should deliver many exciting plays.

Try not to blink when watching this team, or you might miss a try!

Alberta Bighorns (D2)

Alberta also has a D2 team in the competition. The Bighorns have a number of newer players and will be aiming to improve on last year’s 4th place finish.

Para- rower Kyle Riva is a recent convert to wheelchair rugby and is a rookie to keep an eye out for.

Fun Facts

• Alberta’s best ever finish at the Vancouver Invitational was 3rd in 2017.
• Alberta has the most women competing at the Invitational of any province with four. Kendall Winter and Ashley Munroe on the Roughnecks and Kasey Aiello and Lana Cicko on the Bighorns.

Thank you to ChairStuff and BC Rehab Foundation for their support of the Vancouver Invitational.