Together Canada can win, coach says

After trading goals with Team USA for most of the match, Team Canada?s last-minute rally came up just short in a 56-53 loss to the Americans in the final of the 2012 Canada Cup International Wheelchair Rugby Tournament Saturday at the Richmond Olympic Oval.

In front of a nearly sold-out crowd, the teams were tied 24-24 at the half, but several penalties by Canada early in the third quarter enabled the U.S. to pull away for a game-high six-point lead before the latter rallied.

The event, featuring the top eight teams in the world, was a prelude to this summer?s Paralympic Games in London, England scheduled for Aug. 29 to Sept. 9.

?I think we missed some opportunities (with the penalties) but we didn?t give up and played a complete game,? said Canada coach Kevin Orr. ?The last two games we played a pretty good system throughout and that?s going to be a key for us at the Paralympics.?

As the sport of wheelchair rugby continues to evolve, so does strategy. And thanks to the success of players such as Australia?s Ryley Batt, considered by many to be the best in the world, speed is also becoming increasingly a factor in the game.

Zak Madell, an 18-year-old from Okotoks, Alta. is Canada?s youngest player and arguably its fastest. But while it?s tempting to want to take advantage of his quickness, Orr is cautious.

?Certainly I think (speed) is a big part of the game now and the reason why teams are getting fast athletes and training them to get that way,? he said. ?But we?ve got to give (Madell) the opportunity to gain experience. I?m not sure you have to be the fastest team (to be successful) but you have to be the most complete. That?s really what we?re striving for in London.?

Orr said team chemistry will be essential if Canada is to realize its goal of being No. 1.

?We have to ensure what works works, we don?t want to get into a guessing game,? he said. ?When I? took on this opportunity (to coach) it was to win, it wasn?t to take second. We?ve got to believe we can win and we appreciate Canada is behind us.?

?Speed is a huge part of this game. I think speed wins,? said Canadian captain Ian Chan. ?Obviously you have to have the technical part of the game and strategy, but if you don?t have speed I don?t think you have much to work with.?

?I started playing this game back in the mid-90s and to compare the level of play to where it is today is night and day,? added Chan, a Richmond resident. ?Athletes are training harder, and chairs are better. It?s done wonders for the sport.?

Chan is confident Canada has the ingredients, including team speed, needed to finish first at the upcoming Paralympic Games (Aug. 29 to Sept. 9 in London, England).

?It was a tough battle all the way through (against the U.S. on Sunday),? he said. ?Obviously they?re a very talented team but we came back from a deficit to keep the game close. You?ve got to tip your hat to them. They were the victors tonight.?

The teams will be on opposite pools at the Paralympics and will be favoured to meet again in the final. But Chan warns that anything can happen.

?There are so many tough teams now at the international level. We?re going to focus on placing first in our pool and take it from there.?

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