GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Six elite wheelchair rugby teams from across the United States and Canada are coming together in Grand Rapids this weekend to face off in a tournament.

Nearly 60 athletes will pack into the MSA Fieldhouse in Grand Rapids on Saturday and Sunday for the 13th annual Thunderfest .

The tournament, hosted by Mary Free Bed Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports, "combines the speed of basketball with the impact of football — all from the seat of a specially designed, heavy-duty sports chair."

Christy Vanhaver, a sports coordinator for Mary Free Bed, said the sport helps show the athletes that they can still compete at a high level.

"To come out to a practice and see that, you know, they're not fragile just because they have a disability, that they can be very competitive, that

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