Assemble dozens of wheelchair bound people, pit them against one another in hand to hand combat and bill it: "Murderball at the Copper Box".

Not so long ago we would have questioned the sort of sick mind that had come up with such a scenario, but now it is how marketeers are promoting a sporting event, this weekend's BT Wheelchair Rugby National Championships and its participants love the image.

"Murderball is a great description of our sport. Obviously it was changed to wheelchair rugby when the sport became a bit more professional but I still like the name. The whole sport goes against everything politically correct, but I'm from Viewpark so that is something I'm comfortable with," said Mike Kerr, captain of the GB international team with a laugh that carries more than a hint of malice.

The only Scot in the team that battered its way into the national consciousness at the London Paralympics remains that and Kerr's subsequent elevation to the captaincy is reward for extraordinary commitment since he still lives in the tough housing development to the north east of Uddingston but drives himself across the border for training sessions and matches every week with his Southport-based club West Coast Crash, as well as to monthly national team camps, while there are regular trips to tournaments all over Europe.

That in spite of the fact that an accident on holiday in Corfu 15 years ago when, aged just 17, he dived into the shallow end of a swimming pool, left him paralysed.

Kerr had been studying health and fitness at the City of Glasgow College at the time and referred to himself as "Mr Sport", but that all seemed over and briefly his outlook could hardly have been more bleak.

"To be honest I never ever got down and depressed, but when I had my accident in Kavos it was an absolute hellhole," is his recollection.

"People don't believe just how backwards the medical facilties were, but at one stage I didn't think I was going to make it home.

"My uncle, Paul Black, came over to bring me back. They weren't going to fly me back and I probably shouldn't have been travelling in the condition I was in, but they brought a private medical team and they got me home."

Kerr spent 10 months in the spinal unit at Glasgow's Southern General and another few as an out-patient, but a recommendation from some of those treating him saw his prospects transformed for the second time in a year as Mr Sport was re-born.

"Obviously what happened was a life changing thing for me, but after the physios in the spinal unit told me about it, taking up wheelchair rugby started to open doors. I fell in love with it straight away and went from strength to strength," Kerr explained.

"The accident happened in August 2000. I took up wheelchair rugby in May/June 2001, pretty much as soon as I was discharged."

At the Falkirk-based Scottish Wildcats he came under the guidance of one of its founders, Dave Rhoney, who became something of a guru.

"He was massive in giving me encouragement in the early stages and later on he has coached and trained me even after I left the club," said Kerr.

"Dave was already a couple of years down the road with it (dealing with becoming wheelchair-bound) when I joined. Ever since then he's always had an ear for me. I can talk to him about anything."

Kerr's talent was quickly evident, but in order to make the most of it he had to gain exposure to higher levels of competition which has resulted in a series of moves, first to the North East Bulls, then to the East Midlands Marauders, then the Wolverhampton Rhinos and now West Coast Crash.

The sport having provided him with such opportunities to explore both his own capabilities and the wider world, Kerr wants to take his turn to help others.

"I probably am an inspiration to people who are newly injured and I hope I can be," he said.

"It's such a massive life-changing thing and people think there's no light at the end of the tunnel.

"This has most definitely opened up opportunities I would never have had in sporting terms."

That being the case he now sees the world through the eyes of an elite athlete, who gets lottery support for his training, rather than as a disabled person who has coped magnificently with potentially devastating injury.

"I separate the two things," he said.

"Obviously when I had my accident coming through it was massive, but now I look at it solely from a sportsman's point of view, how I can perform and get better.

"At this moment, though, I don't look back and see what I've achieved, the things I've done and I don't think I'll do that until my playing days are over."

These are likely to be spent dealing with a level of attention that was previously unimaginable for disabled sport.

"Participation numbers have soared since London. I think we've now got 17 teams across the country. There was one point not that long ago that there were only eight teams. BT coming on board as well has brought about a re-branding and that's going to be massive," said Kerr.

The BT National Championships are taking place throughout Bank Holiday weekend.