TAMPA, Fla — The Tampa Bay Wheelchair Buccaneers Football Team hosted a national tournament this weekend. It's part of the Hillsborough County adaptive sports program.
It's competitive. They pass, block, and fight hard, just like any other athlete.
"I'm a center. I'm not a receiver. I'm not a quarterback, but I'm a center. My job is to protect my quarterback," player Ryan Lindstrom said.
The Buccaneers team is fighting for a championship win.
"The winner of this tournament will potentially qualify to play at our Super Bowl championship, it takes place in February," Karalyn Stott with Move United explained.
Eight teams are fighting for the chance to play in Las Vegas. But people like Lindstrom said this game means more than winning. He said it encourages wheelchair-dependent people to get out of their comfort zone and live life their lives.
"It introduces you to a whole family of adaptive sports players that teach you how to live life in the chair after you get hurt. You've got to learn how to do everything all over again... They teach you how to live your life, transferring in and out of a car, just getting out of your chair, getting out of bed, getting dressed, things you don't know, necessarily, until you meet people that that can teach you," Lindstrom explained.
Lindstrom said his teammates are his family, and their chemistry ignites their drive. He said he wants people to know that they can do anything they put their heart into.
"You can be in a wheelchair and you can do whatever you want. You just do it sitting down. I've played sports, skydive, I do everything. As long as you want to do it, there's an avenue for you to get out there and do it," Lindstrom said.
