Drayton Heights Public School staff organized a three-day event, Inclusion – A Lesson through Sledge Hockey, at the PMD arena from March 3 to 5. A total of 156 students from Grades 4 to 8 were bused to and from the arena in 80-minute blocks. Participants spent an hour on the ice each day.
Last year, the school organized a trip to the World Sledge Hockey championships in Toronto. Drayton Heights families packed four buses for the event. Students and parents were impressed by the speed and power of the athletes. With the success of the event, the staff decided to expand the physical education program to include sledge hockey in the 2015 school year curriculum.
Sledge hockey began in Europe in 1966 and by 1982 sledge hockey teams formed in Canada. The first international rules for sledge hockey were drafted from Canadian rules. Since 1994, sledge hockey has been part of the Paralympic Games and is Canada’s fastest growing winter sport. Men’s sledge hockey is a Paralympic event, but women’s is not.
Sledge hockey is similar to regular hockey and uses the same rules as the International Ice Hockey Federation. Players sit inches above the ice, strapped inside a bucket type seat, on an aluminum frame. The frame has two blades attached under the bucket and one under the foot area. Players move across the ice using two hockey sticks that are about one third of the length of a regular hockey stick. One end of the stick is a blade similar to a regular hockey stick. The other end is tipped with a six point pick. Sledge hockey is a full contact sport.
Players are equipped with the same hockey equipment that able-bodied hockey players wear.
Keith and Sandy Metzger of Woolwich Sledge Hockey, instructed students on and off the ice. The Metzgers’ involvement with sledge hockey began with their daughter, Corin, who is now a member of the Canadian Women’s National team.
The Metzger’s coached and managed the national women’s team for a number of years and volunteer in various capacities with the Woolwich group.
School staff encouraged parent volunteers to experience the game. Many parents rose to the challenge and spent time on the ice doing drills and helping students who had difficulty keeping their sleds in an upright position.
“Not only did the students learn to play sledge hockey, they also learned to understand differences which helps with acceptance and inclusion of students with physical disabilities,” said Andy Speers, a staff member of Drayton Heights.
On day one of the program, titled Get Down to the Basics, students learned about equipment and familiarized themselves with how to sit in a sled, move the sled, injury avoidance and modifications to the game.
Day two involved hockey skills. Participants focused on moving, passing and shooting the puck, along with basic drills.
Let’s Have Some Fun was set aside for day three. Actual games of sledge hockey were played. Drayton Heights staff discussed the events over the past three days with students.
After the third day, the students indicated they loved the program and asked if they could do it again next year.
