Benjamin
Perkins

Benjamin Perkins became a quadriplegic at the age of 21 when he was seriously injured in a car accident. During his recovery at the Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre, Ben was introduced to wheelchair rugby when the Ottawa Stingers, a local club team, visited the centre to host an open practice. Intrigued by the fast-paced, contact aspects of wheelchair rugby, he simply couldn’t say “no” when a member of the Stingers asked him if he wanted to give the sport a try.

Perkins joined the Stingers soon thereafter, and began to play wheelchair rugby on a more regular basis. Having previously played able-bodied rugby and hockey, many aspects of the sport came naturally to him and he was quickly able to establish himself as a strong defender who also possesses the ability to make quick and accurate passes, while he’s on offence.

From there, Ben would go on to compete in wheelchair rugby tournaments across Canada and the United States. He would also become a member of Ontario’s provincial team and play in 11 consecutive National Championships, winning seven titles.

In 2013, Perkins was selected to be part of Canada’s National Team program.

Ben would narrowly miss out on selection for the 2016 Paralympic Games and the 2018 World Championships. However, despite these setbacks, he remained determined to represent Canada at a major event and ultimately, earned his spot on the 12-player roster in 2019, when he was selected to compete at the Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru. 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Ben Perkins is determined to make the Lima 2019 Games be the first of many career highlights for him.

PERSONAL

Outside of wheelchair rugby, Ben likes to his spend his time with his family, especially with his son. He also enjoys being out in the nature and occasionally goes hunting.

NOTABLE INTERNATIONAL RESULTS

• First international appearance at a major event.