NEWS PHOTO SEAN ROONEY Shannon Paiement practices para hockey at the Family Leisure Centre this past Sunday.
They might practice at the Family Leisure Centre rink every Sunday, but chances for para hockey players to show off in a real game in their hometown don’t come around that often.
With that in mind, this weekend’s jamboree has them understandably excited.
“We have lots of people that have family driving in, or their friends are coming out,” said Medicine Hat Adaptive Sport and Recreation’s Tara Chisholm. “We practice every Sunday, we scrimmage, but for this finally they can invite their grandparents, their roommates and watch it. We’ve got officials coming out, we’re playing 15 minute (periods) stop time.
“It’s a good opportunity for people in the community to come out and see the game.”
Chisholm, the head coach of the Canadian women’s para hockey team, puts the locals through their paces and has seen involvement grow from a first try-it session nearly six years ago to Medicine Hat running three teams.
Two teams from Calgary – one junior, one intermediate – will be in town for games starting at 11:45 a.m. Saturday and 9:15 a.m. Sunday.
“It’s a really good weekend for our players,” she said. “We’re mostly recreational, so it’ll be a really good opportunity.”
There will also be a try-it session between games starting at 3:15 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free so if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to use those special pic-sticks to propel yourself or just how tippy the fast sleds can be, you’ve got your chance.
Two Hat teams went to Kindersley for a tournament in November, and other tournaments are on the horizon after this one.
But playing on home ice is certainly special.
