Building a Strong Community On and Off the Rugby Court

Nick Pearce, coach of the Denver Barbarians Wheelchair Rugby club, is looking forward to the Craig Hospital Foundation’s Impact Celebration on the evening of June 25, 2026.

“The event, which will feature an exhibition rugby match, allows us the opportunity to promote the sport and help attendees learn more about wheelchair rugby,” he explains. “It’s also a chance to support Craig and celebrate the many ways in which the hospital helps patients rebuild their lives, find purpose, and redefine possibility.”

From South Dakota to Colorado

Back in November 2009, Nick, a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, was teaching a jiu-jitsu class near his home in South Dakota when a student fell on top of him.

“I remember hearing a pop-pop-pop, and before my legs hit the ground, I knew what had happened,” he recalls. “I just lay there, looking at my toes, begging them to move. But I knew.”

With a broken neck at the C6-C7 level, Nick became determined to do his SCI neurorehabilitation at Craig: “I had heard such great things about the hospital and refused to let my insurance company send me anywhere else.”

In January 2010, Nick boarded a Flight for Life and flew to Denver.

“I was anxious to start my rehab,” he explains. “But shortly after being admitted, I learned that I needed to spend four to five months in bed because of the stage three bedsores that I developed at the hospital in South Dakota. To say I was devastated was an understatement — and the next few months tested my strength, courage and willingness to thrive.”

Nick recalls feeling completely hopeless. Unable to continue his successful career as a MMA fighter, he no longer had a clear purpose or direction.

“I had to adjust to a new life and everything I had planned for my future. I felt lost and alone — until a few rugby players from the Denver Harlequins Wheelchair Rugby club came to my hospital room,” he says. “They introduced me to the sport of wheelchair rugby and urged me to come watch them play in the Craig gym. I was immediately hooked, and soon after, joined the Harlequins.”

A Life-Changing Decision

Nick played with the Harlequins for more than seven years before starting his own rugby club, the Denver Barbarians. “I began recruiting players and building a community that extends way beyond the court,” he says. “At first glance, wheelchair rugby is just a sport — fast, brutal and chaotic. But for those of us who roll onto the court, it’s about freedom, community, independence and power. It reminds us that disability does not define us.”

To help build the program, Nick joined forces with the Funk Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching and empowering the lives of individuals with disabilities, and the program began to grow quickly.

In fact, last season, the U.S. Wheelchair Rugby Association named Nick the Coach of the Year, and this past season, the team finished third out of 40 teams in their division at the Nationals.

“I am so proud of my players, a majority of whom are Craig grads,” Nick says. “In addition to working together on the court, we also give back to the community by hosting wheelchair rugby camps for kids and participating in numerous expos, like the one Craig is hosting this June.”

He adds, “Wheelchair rugby has given me more than just a team, it has given me a family — a group of people who understand the fight, who embrace the grind, and who remind me every day that resilience is a gift we carry in our bones. Rugby is about shattering stereotypes and proving that our community is powerful, united and unstoppable. We don’t just play a game — we rewrite the rules of life.”

For more information on the 2026 Craig Foundation Impact Celebration, click here.