Photo: Jeromey Russ/WBZ NewsRadio
ROCKLAND, Mass.(WBZ NewsRadio) — The Lovell Arena in Rockland hosted a hockey tournament Sunday for kids with disabilities.
The Adaptive Hockey Showcase highlights all the different ways to make the game more inclusive to players with disabilities, such as visual and hearing impairments and folks with amputees.
“This is such a great opportunity for kids like my son with mobility issues and are not able to play regular hockey or many other sports,” Kathleen told WBZ NewsRadio.
Her 12 year-old son played in one of nine games at the ice rink, each catered to provide equal playing fields for players with different disabilities.
David Hymovitz, a hockey coach at Thayer Academy, volunteered at the event with some of his players and said the event was a great way to make the sport more accessible.
“Everybody knows hockey the way it is,” he said. “This is another way to showcase some other ways of playing hockey.”
Around two hundred players participated in the event. Elizabeth Dahlen, a sled hockey coach, said the game is more than just about athleticism.
“It’s all about the community and comradery and to get to share that with our players and the team and built that program is fantastic,” he said.
Kathleen said she likes seeing her kid have fun.
“Just because you have a disability doesn’t mean you’re not able to do what everybody else does,” Kathleen added. “You just have to do it a different way.”
WBZ NewsRadio’s Jeromey Russ (@JeromeyRuss) reports.
