COVER STORY
Tampa Area Welcomes World’s Top Disabled Athletes for Hockey Festival
For the first time in the event’s 15-year
history, the Toyota-USA Hockey Disabled
Hockey Festival was hosted in Florida at
AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel and
at the Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex.
The event spanned over two weekends from
March 28-31 and April 4-7, welcoming the most talented disabled athletes
from around the world.
This festival is the largest event of its kind, and was proudly hosted in
partnership by USA Hockey, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Statewide
Amateur Hockey of Florida (SAHOF). Now a widely popular event, the
festival was created to bring awareness to this part of the sport that many
people did not even think was possible. The main effort, however, has been
to support these amazing athletes who have conquered their setbacks or
limitations through hockey.
Among those competing in the festival were sled hockey Paralympic
gold medalists, and top athletes from all over the country and the world,
representing the five other disabled hockey disciplines of blind, deaf/hard
of hearing, standing/amputee, special, and Warrior.
Kristen Bowness, co-chair of the event, and manager of diversity
development and sled hockey with the Lightning was honored to be able to
take part in such wonderful event.
“We were the first NHL team to help represent the tournament,” she said.
“The experience was incredible, provided huge exposure of the sport to
the Tampa Bay area.”
By Reba LaRose
Events were held at both the Wesley Chapel facility and the Ellenton Ice
and Sports Complex.
A Festival for All
To kick off the festivities, the Tampa Bay Lightning Alumni team took on
the Standing/Amputee Team in a friendly match that brought back many
familiar faces for Lightning fans and festival spectators to enjoy.
Representing the Lightning alumni were Dave Andreychuk, captain of
the 2004 Stanley Cup team; center Brian Bradley (’92-’98), along with
defensemen Jassen Cullimore (’97-’04) and Stan Neckar (’00-’04).
In company with the former NHLers, disabled or injured members and
former members of the United States military also competed in the festival
events, including the Sled Hockey National Championship at AdventHealth
Center Ice.
There were eight sled hockey teams from around the U.S. competing in the
National Championship, six of which are NHL-affiliate teams. The St. Louis
Blues, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, Colorado
Avalanche, and Chicago Blackhawks all had teams representing them at
the festival.
The Six Disciplines
Although each of the disabled disciplines are very similar to traditional
hockey, there are some key rules and regulations set in place to make the
game more accessible for every player. Like traditional hockey, from youth
to professional each disabled discipline is governed by USA Hockey.
Photo Credit: Cindy Eccles-Earth-Life Studios
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