CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Father and son sledge hockey duo Steve and Kurtis Deveaux have been looking forward to this week for nearly a year.
In fact, there is nowhere else the two members of the Cape Breton Sledgehammers would rather be than at World Sledge Hockey Challenge being hosted this week at Charlottetown’s MacLauchlan Arena.
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Father and son sledge hockey duo Steve and Kurtis Deveaux have been looking forward to this week for nearly a year.
In fact, there is nowhere else the two members of the Cape Breton Sledgehammers would rather be than at World Sledge Hockey Challenge being hosted this week at Charlottetown’s MacLauchlan Arena.
For them, it’s an opportunity to see the best of the best.
“Any chance you get to watch the best players in the world, you’ve got to take it,” said Steve, who coaches the Sledgehammers.
The high-energy sport drew in a crowd of about 200 to watch Team Canada shut out Norway during Sunday’s preliminary round matchup.
Although the sport looks dramatically different to traditional hockey with players holding two shorter sticks and sitting in chairs, it’s played almost exactly the same.
“It’s probably a more aggressive sport than some of the hockey games you’ll see,” said Steve, noting the amount of upper body strength required to play the sport. “Billy Bridges can shoot a puck more than 75 miles per hour with a stick that’s about three feet long. Talk about amazing.”
Getting into the sport about seven years ago, Kurtis said sledge hockey has opened up new possibilities for himself.
Due to a disability, he was unable to participate in the many sports he enjoyed watching while growing up.
“When you get the chance to go out there and play a sport, when you’ve been sitting on the sidelines watching your whole life, that’s my biggest thing,” he said. “And being part of a team too. We have a great group back in Cape Breton and I’ve met a lot of really great people, who I’ve became friends with through sledge hockey.”
Richard Pettipas, president of ParaSport and Recreation P.E.I., said the Charlottetown event shows everyone living with a disability what is possible through hard work and dedication.
“A lot of Team Canada players have been here numerous times working with us to develop the sport and also life outside of the sport,” said Pettipas. “There are lots of young people that see these guys in restaurants and in the malls and realize they have a disability but can still be mobile and active in the community.”
Charlottetown previously hosted the challenge in 2008 and 2009.
The influence of those tournaments are still being felt in the province, with the 2009 event providing a legacy fund to help establish the P.E.I. Ice Breakers sledge hockey team.
Demonstrations and outreach across the Maritimes have since led to the formation of the Sledgehammers and Halifax Sledge Grinders.
The three teams play each other every year, and will face off again this coming weekend during a tournament hosted in Crapaud.
“We’re hoping that next year maybe New Brunswick will have a team and we’ll be able to create a four-team Maritime league,” said Pettipas, noting that while Team Canada only accept players with a disability, the provincial teams are open to all.
The World Sledge Hockey Challenge continues until Saturday.
