From Marine to murderball
CLACKAMAS STUDENT COMPETES IN FULL-CONTACT WHEELCHAIR SPORT
BY TRAVIS DAVID V WHITTAKER
Clackamas student Tim, Vixay is h ig h ly
competitive in a game he likes to play,
known as murderball, It is sim ilar to
rugby; however, every player is in a
wheelchair. Vixay started playing in 2008
after he had com pleted rehabilitation
for a neck and spinal cord injury that
left him paralyzed. The injury occurred
when he dove into a wave while he was
in the Marines.
The Print talked w ith V ixay to
learn m ore about him and gain an
understanding of the game. ’
TCP: W hat interested you in joining
the Marines?
TV: At the time, it was 2006 and a lot
The Clackam as Print: W hat are your
plans while here at Clackam as?
T im V ix a y : I finished my transfer
of my friends were enlisting. I actually
went to PCC for a diesel tèçh program,
but after a year of that I couldn’t letzthe
opportunity by to serve for my country.
degree back in 2008...and am now back
here at CCC for a certificate in m ulti-
media journalism.
TCP: How is murderball played?
T V : It’ s a game that was designed
photo contributed by Tim Vixay
back in 1977 for people with upper-body
im pairm ents. It’ s played four on four
while on a basketball court. The ball is
similar to a volleyball. At each baseline
there are two cones that are set eight
meters apart, and you have to carry the
ball between the two cônes. Meanwhile;
the defense is trying to ram you, swat thé
ball out of your hands and knock you out
of your chair.
I t ’ s, the o nly tru e, fu ll-c o n ta c f
wheelchair sport around.
TCP: How did you hear about it?
TV: 2008 was a Paralympicyear. When
I got Hurt, I heard about it while in rehab
and doing my initial therapy. As soon as
I saw it being played, I was hooked and
went .to the next practice that the team
had, and it’ s been in the rearview ever
since. Kinda been my life.
TCP: Does school or work interfere
w ith how m uch you like to play?
TV: It does. Now that I’m going back
to school full time, since I wânt to get it
done in a year, I’ve had to kind o f cut back
on my training hours and out-of-practice
conditioning sessions we have.
TCP: How do you get in shape? Does
eating right contribute to this?
T V : I th in k eating right is just
Tim Vixay rides in a wheelchair during a game of murderball.
continuous. If you take two months off
and eat whatever you want, people with
paralysis take a lot longer to shed that
weight because we aren’t using as much of
our bodies. So I try to eat right throughout
the entireyear.
W hen it’ s tim e to buckle down on
training, you really focus more on what
you are eating and making sure you are
getting the right carbs and fuel. You are
also upping your activity hours as far as
w eights, and being in the rugby chair
more with different speed and agility
drills and endurance.
TCP: Do you play any other wheelchair
sports?
T V : W hen I go participate at the
National Veteran Wheelchair Games every
summer, there are different events there.
I’ll compete in track, swimming, nine-
ball and table tennis. As far as a strict,
competitivé elite level, iVs mostly just
rugby.
TCP: In an article I read about you by
thè Paralyzed Veterans o f Am erica, it
mentioned that you want to help break
m any Stereotypes. W hat stereotypes
are you referring to?
TV: One o f the big misconceptions, with
people in wheelchairs and high -level
injuries, like m yself, is à lot of people
feel like we just sit at home and don’t
really do anything. We just kind of watch
the sim go up and down. Through sports
and the Oscar Mike Foundation, we’re
able get out there in the community to
show people that, hey, jjist because we
.are in a wheelchair it doesn’t mean we
can’t surf, skydive and go hiking at the
national parks.
T C P : H o w m an y m ed als have you
earned while playing murderball?
TV: The last time f counted, I had gotten
up to 22 golds, and maybe up to 26 golds
now. I’ve gotten countless “ Best in Class”
awards at various tournaments as well.
I ’ve' been in the top 16 teams for eight
years now. I will be trying out for the
national team in January.
This interview has been edited for clarity
and space.
Clackamas Print NOVEMBER 23,2016 thedackamasprîntcoün I