A different kind of hockey season opens this weekend at Hap Parker Arena.
Volunteers have finished assembling the sledge hockey units for Powell River Disability Sport Club. Now the club is looking for players who want to join its six-week training camp. Players will have their first opportunity to take the new equipment out on the ice on Sunday, November 4.
Lindsay Peake, program manager of the club, said she’s hoping to attract, “not only players who use a wheelchair, but maybe have an old hockey injury, or a stand-up player with a broken leg.”
The club, a local non-profit organization established after Powell River hosted the BC Disability Games in 2007, promotes local para-sports. It has formed a partnership with City of Powell River parks, recreation and culture department and secured a para-sports equipment grant from Ottawa last June. With the money, 12 sledge hockey sleds were purchased.
Peake is looking for 12 players who are 14 years or older and a volunteer coach to take part. She added that it is the athlete’s responsibility to have standard protective hockey equipment for the upper part of the body.
“The rules of sledge hockey are the same as stand-up hockey with a few minor differences in regard to equipment,” said Peake. “So if someone knows all about stand-up hockey, they also know a lot about sledge hockey.”
The club’s sledge hockey training camp will run over six Sunday sessions, 10:30 to 11:45 am until December 9 at the arena.
There is a $25 registration fee for the training camp, and for more information people can contact Peake at 604.485.2688.
Peake said that sledge hockey is for, “someone who loves hockey but has bad knees or can’t skate. Or just people who want to give it a go.”
