MEDICINE HAT, AB — Medicine Hat Adaptive Sport is taking major strides in putting sledge hockey on the map.
In fact, the Hockey Hounds are the only Alberta-based team to play outside of Calgary or Edmonton.
Anyone can come out and play the game with the organization, making it one of the only inclusive sports in town.
“Both players with or without disabilities play together so it’s a great opportunity for everyone to get to enjoy the sport together,” says Tara Chisholm, Program Coordinator and player on the Hounds.
Financial support doesn’t always come easy, with many of the Hounds relying on government grants and volunteer support to keep the team on ice. With some players already on low income, it can be tough to keep the sport afloat. Over thirty volunteers work together to make ends meet, helping grow sledge hockey in the Medicine Hat community.
“We have an amazing core group of volunteers that work really hard, they help with all sorts of aspects of sledge.” added Chisholm. “So bringing the sleds out, helping people to get into sleds from their wheelchairs, pushing people around the ice that need assistance, and running the practices when Derek and I are gone coaching at the national level, so our volunteers are amazing.”
Derek Whitson, a two-time Paralympian, is the head coach of the organization. Chisholm coaches the Women’s National team, when she’s not helping sledge hockey grow in the community.
The Sledge Hockey Hounds play the Edmonton PSA Dogs this weekend at the Medicine Hat Family Leisure Centre. Both teams play Saturday at 3:45 P.M and 10 A.M Sunday Afternoon.
These are the only games to be played in Medicine Hat this year.
