Scottsville sophomore Robbie Scott sometimes relieves stress by ramming his modified wheelchair into other people.

Scott plays quad rugby, a full-contact sport for people in wheelchairs who have lost some functionality in all four limbs.

He participated in an exposition match of quad rugby that Student Disability Services hosted on Oct. 11 in Preston Center as part of National Disability Month.

The exposition is one of three events that took place in October in honor of the month.

Matt Davis, coordinator of student disability services, said he wanted to raise awareness of various types of disabilities, the challenges people with disabilities face and how people overcome those challenges.

Eddie Crouch of Smyrna, Tenn., participated in the event. He also competed in the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney, Australia.

“It also helps to get your independence back and get you out there and traveling, just get you back in the real world,” Crouch said. “That’s a big thing.”

Quad rugby helps quadriplegic people, such as participant Travis Smith of Bowling Green, become more independent by building strong upper bodies.

“Now I’ve got a four-wheel-drive truck, no lift. I live by myself,” Smith said. “I couldn’t do any of that before rugby.”

Scott said rugby changed his attitude.

“Well, counting rugby and my divorce, I am a whole lot more outspoken,” Scott said. “Whether they’re in a chair or not, if I don’t like what they’re doing, I’ll tell them about it. What are they gonna do, break my neck?”

The exposition gave students a good opportunity to see how other people with different abilities spend their time, said Louisville graduate student Tony Simms, who attended the event.

Nashville sophomore Paul Vallett, another attendee, agreed.

“I have a totally new level of respect for these guys, going out there and playing a sport like this for as long as they do,” Vallett said.

Elizabethtown freshman Daniel Thorn attended the event after he heard about it from a friend.

“I’ve never seen it before, and I thought it would be really neat to watch,” Thorn said.

The team allowed spectators to play after they finished a match, such as Bowling Green senior Beau Spencer.

“Moving the wheelchair, it’s a whole new experience,” Spencer said. “It’s not something you can jump into. They were taking it easy on us big time.”

The director of the Spina Bifida Association of Kentucky gave an informational session on spina bifida Oct. 3.

Peter Hawkins will speak Wednesday about how he was paralyzed in an alcohol-related accident and how he doesn’t let his disability affect his life, Davis said.

For more information about quad rugby and how to get involved, visit www.quadrugby.com.

Reach Greg Capillo at news@wkuherald.com.