The Depew Saints Hockey Club hosts its' first ever sled hockey tournament at Depew ice rink this weekend in response to what appears to be a growing interest in the sport.
The Saints worked with the village of Depew to make the rink sled accessible after realizing the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey team's gold medal win sparked an interest in the sport. Sled hockey allows individuals with physical challenges to play ice hockey. Players sit on sleds and maneuver on the ice using two shorter sticks with metal picks on one end rather than skating. The majority of the rules remain the same.
Depew Saints "ACE" Coordinator Dave Santoro is the association's coaching and educational liaison. Santoro also helps coach one of the Sabres sled hockey teams playing in this weekend's tournament. Santoro's team includes Adam Page, a member of the U-S Paralympic sled hockey team that won gold in Sochi this year. He says the Saints knew they had to pursue sled hockey after Adam showcased his sled skills and signed autographs at the rink one day.
"There was one family that was there with a girl who had spina bifida, which is what Adam has, whose brother plays hockey and she had said she wanted to play hockey. The mom came over after the signing and said they can't wait to put her in the sled," recalls Santoro. He adds, "It is very inspirational to see these players who have various disabilities be able to get in that sled and have the freedom to move about the ice and enjoy a sport they love."
The tournament features teams from Buffalo; Watertown, NY; Pittsburgh, Pa; Wooster, Ohio and Elmvale, Ontario with both male and female players from teens to adults. For the complete schedule of games, click here.
The tournament also features an opportunity to try sled hockey. Santoro says they have all the equipment available at the rink and will be giving folks a shot to try it out between 1pm and 3:20pm today.
On a related noted, WNED TV will feature the personal stories and heroics of the U-S sled hockey team in a special entitled Ice Warriors/USA Sled Hockey on November 16th at 11pm.