Toronto Sledge Hockey in the Neighbourhood programs
are brought to you by:
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!!!
416-392-7456
Winter programs begin October 13th, 2007
Register today!!!
Click here to visit our registration pages.
Click here to see fall / winter program listings.
Now you can play Sledge Hockey in the Heart of Toronto
The City of Toronto and Bloorview Kids Rehab are pleased to present Toronto Sledge Hockey in the Neighbourhood. The program was officially launched on February 21st, 2007, where some of the program's 43 participants joined Mayor David Miller and Paralympians Billy Bridges, Bradley Bowden and Paul Rosen in an exciting exhibition game at Toronto's City Hall. Now in our second year, we are excited to welcome back our veterans and eager to meet many new faces in our new and expanded sledge hockey programs opportunities designed for Torontonians of all ages and abilities.
The Sledge Hockey Story and the Beginnings of Toronto Sledge Hockey
Sledge
hockey was developed by a couple of avid hockey players who wouldn’t let a
physical disability stop them from playing the game that they loved. Athletes
sit on a kind of modified snow sled that has two skate blades under it and a
light metal frame that allows the puck to pass underneath. Each player has two
short sticks with a hockey blade on one end and picks on the other that they use
like ski poles to propel themselves forward. The rest is pretty much the same
as the traditional game.
Hockey Canada has announced their commitment to developing sledge hockey in our ‘home and native land’. They now offer sledge hockey Paralympians the same financial support as our other national team athletes. Sledge hockey was added to the Paralympics in Lillehammer in 1994 and is growing very quickly around the world. The best part is that Canada is very, very good at it, bringing home the gold from three straight international competitions in the past year.
The Toronto program brings sledge hockey to your neighbourhood. It follows after a series of focus groups which brought people together from across the city to determine the kind of recreation programming that people with disabilities would like to see in Toronto. The program is part of a commitment at the City of Toronto to dramatically increase accessible recreation opportunities in five years, and has been developed and is organized with significant contributions and feedback from participants and the community.
Bloorview Kids Rehab has been a strong partner since the program’s inception. On April 7th, they helped bring over 60 people, including three of Canada’s gold-medal winning sledge hockey Paralympians, to an awareness game that launched the program. Since then, Toronto Sledge Hockey in the Neighbourhood has been gaining momentum and is now ready to break into the rapidly growing sledge hockey movement in Ontario and across Canada.
Now everyone can get involved! Play, coach, officiate, make a donation, help with organizing or spreading the word. Show your Canadian pride by participating in our national game!
Our Mission
To provide sledge hockey opportunities from playground to podium
for people of all ages and abilities across Toronto.
Our Goals
To provide accessible sledge hockey opportunities to people living with a disability in Toronto
To facilitate the rehabilitation and social integration of children and adults with mobility impairments
To promote the integration of able-bodied and disabled athletes in Canada's national sport of hockey
To create a fun and safe environment which fosters inclusiveness, fair play, and skill development, building self-esteem, confidence, and independence.