Look out world! Here come the possible future Paralympians in a hoped-for new Winter Paralympic discipline: Standing Ice Hockey.
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| Star of the future? Tom Mesick, CP, helps a youngster learn to skate. Photos courtesy of Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics. |
Over 20 youngsters converged for the first-ever national amputee standing hockey youth training camp May 17-18 in Westfield, Massachusetts. After only two days of practice, the youngsters came together in a strong team to play against an able-bodied PeeWee team, the Westfield Wings, and lost by only one point, 6-5.
The camp was hosted by the American Amputee Hockey Association (AAHA) and sponsored by the Amelia Park Arena, Westfield Rotary, Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics, and the O&P Assistance Fund (OPAF). Participants ranged from ages 5-15 and in skills from beginners to players with experience in playing on able-bodied teams in their hometowns. Director for the AAHA Youth Program is Larry Healy, whose son Joe, age 12, is one of the players. The Healys are a hockey family-Larry, Joe, and Larry's daughter, age nine, are enthusiastic players.
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| Youngsters of varying ages hone skills. Photos courtesy of Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics. |
Tom Mesick, CP, Hanger P&O, Springfield, Massachusetts, wanted to help in any way he could after he learned about the organization this spring. Mesick had coached the first women's team at the University of Massachusetts; the first year the team won only one game-and the next year they lost only one. "I was a good fit for the youth camp-my office in Springfield is only about 15 miles away, I'm a prosthetist and also can coach." Mesick, who served as on-ice director and made prosthetic adjustments, wants to continue being involved in the program.
Patti Koch, a member of the US National Amputee Hockey Team, served as instructor, and three players from the University of Massachusetts Men's Division One team came to help.
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| A University of Massachusetts team member helps instruct the young players. Photos courtesy of Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics. |
The main organizer and driving force of the American Amputee Hockey Association (AAHA) is David Crandell, MD, assistant clinical professor, Tufts University School of Medicine Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and a physiatrist at New England Sinai Hospital, Stoughton, Massachusetts. Crandell's special interest is in disabled sports medicine and hockey is his passion.
The new discipline began to be organized in 1999 with the first-ever adult amputee standing hockey exhibition featuring the Saint Petersburg Elks, five players who traveled from Russia to Massachusetts to play against an able-bodied team. Just three and a half years later, the first World Championships with national teams from four countries-US, Russia, Canada, and Finland-were held April 25-May 5 in Helsinki, Finland. Canada took the gold medal; the US team captured the silver.
The AAHA Youth Program, besides providing a great opportunity for the young players, siblings, and parents to bond with others facing similar challenges, may well provide the Paralympic players of the future. The AAHA is working hard toward having standing ice hockey sanctioned as a Paralympic sport. Crandell notes that teams can include other types of disability as well as limb loss.
We are looking toward 2010," says Healy. "By then, the youngsters who are 12-13 years old now will be young adults. We are helping to build the first US Paralympic Standing Ice Hockey Team." The AAHA is also helping the Canadians establish a youth program. "We encourage kids to get out there and to continue to play in their local USA Hockey programs too," Healy adds.
More national training camps and skates are planned, and youth standing hockey will be part of the bio-fit program during the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) Annual Conference & Exposition July 3-5 in Boston, Massachusetts. The event will be held at the Walter Brown Arena, Boston University.
For more information, contact David Crandell, MD, at dcrandell@amputeehockey.org.
