The long-awaited Reno Ice is open and now it’s looking to bring as many rink sports to the Reno area as possible. That includes well-known sports like hockey and figure skating, along with lesser-known activities like broom ball and curling. This past Saturday, Reno Ice brought sled hockey to the rink and gave the public the opportunity to give the sport a go.
According to USA Hockey, the sport of sled hockey was launched in the 1960s by a group Swedes in a Stockholm, Sweden, rehabilitation center that wanted to continue playing hockey. Specially designed sleds that sit atop two hockey skate blades allowed for players to move across the ice regardless of their physical disability.
While hockey is known for being one of the more brutal team sports, sled hockey is just as demanding but also has the addition of two metal-spiked hockey sticks that facilitate the players’ forward momentum. Two individuals—a participant and a news reporter—learned on Saturday that these sticks are extremely sharp.
Checking is also allowed in sled hockey. That’s the defensive tactic players use to separate an opponent from the puck, and often comes in the form of body-checking, hip-checking, shoulder-checking…you get the picture. To keep Saturday’s event fun and mostly low-key, event organizers asked that people refrain from it for the day—a request mostly agreed to and followed, mostly.
Sled hockey was adopted into the Paralympics in 1994 and would have been played in the 2020 games if not for the COVID-19 pandemic. An amazing example of the sport is the 2014 gold medal game between USA and Russia.
Lawrence Green, a four-year sled hockey player from Dallas, Texas, was at Reno Ice for the event. Green explained that the sport helps people understand that they can do what they want, whereas before they may have believed it’s not possible due to their limited abilities, something Green said “just isn’t true.”
Three-time USA Paralympian Dave Conklin was also on hand for the day.
Attendees at the Reno Ice event ranged greatly in all aspects, but the two-hour event remained busy for all skill levels, from running drills to a few pick-up-games. Check out photos below.
