This past fall SASA (St. Albans Skating Association) started a Special Needs Hockey program. Kayla was very excited to hear about this program and was eager to start. However, I had some hesitation. It tends to take Kayla a long time to adjust to new activities. New place and new people would be one challenge. The second challenge would be having her wear all the hockey equipment.
The equipment alone was going to be a challenge. Pants, chest protector, socks, elbow pads, compression shorts, helmet. The helmet would need to be padded around the ears to muffle noise and not too tight as it would bother her head. Hockey socks would be a challenge since Kayla has never worn socks. Whether skiing, skating, or in her everyday AFO braces, socks are not part of her wardrobe. The compression shorts would be too tight around her legs and waist. And the chest protector had to be loose enough so she would wear it.
Meeting new people was also going to be a challenge. Kayla needs to develop connections prior to engaging in an activity. Sometimes it takes a lot of interactions and continuity prior to her fully engaging in the activity. I was hoping that her strong love for hockey would get her on the ice quicker than other new activities she has tried.
For 12 weeks, we drove to St. Albans for Kayla to play hockey. By the 12th week we had the routine down and equipment on in record time. Granted, she didn’t wear all of the equipment but it was enough to protect her if she fell. During the 12 weeks she passed the puck with a high school student or coach, shot on goal, and skated around. There were many things she wouldn’t do (drop to the ice, obstacle course) and she frequently got off the ice early as she fatigued, but she loved going.
It was the connections of the coaching staff and mentors that gave her the opportunity to participate in a sport that she loves. Will she ever play in a hockey game, pass the puck to other players or learning how to play defense? Probably not. But it’s not about that. It’s about giving her the opportunity to enjoy a sport she loves, in a supportive environment, and at her speed.
I would like to thank SASA and the coaches; Luke Ciaffi, Aaron Whittemore, and John Boomhover for putting together an incredible program. I also would like to thank the St. Albans high school students who volunteered their time to come out and help these children on the ice. The entire staff showed tremendous kindness to Kayla, exhibited a lot of patience when she was struggling, and were very flexible around what she was willing to do on the ice. It was a wonderful community to be a part of, for Kayla and our family.