TAYLOR, Mich. – The Showdown in Motown Sled Hockey Tournament is happening all weekend long at the Taylor Sportsplex.
It’s an important opportunity for differently-abled players.
“They come out and play hockey and they’re smiling and I love it,” said Marc Henretta. “We’ve seen drastic changes in some of our kids.”
Teams from Metro Detroit and Grand Rapids -- as well as teams from Ohio, Illinois and Indiana -- are competing.
The competition is fierce and so is the comradery. These teams are fighting to qualify for the championship game in March in Grand Rapids.
This tournament has everything you’d expect from a USA hockey team, except these players are in sleds.
“I love the speed and the momentum,” said Skyler Donet. “It’s awesome.”
Last weekend, 9-year-old Conner Adcock scored his first goal
“I got it I put my sticks up in the air! I felt like Hutchinson on the Lions,” Conner recalled. “When I tried to shoot, I thought the goalie would stop it but I was like ‘Holy cow!’”
Many players in this tournament have spinal cord issues and range in age from 6 to 60. The hockey sticks serve a dual purpose as metal picks on the bottom help propel players forward. They’re also are able to shoot, pass, and receive a pass with both hands.
“It’s weird at first but once you keep doing it then you get more used to it,” Skyler said. “If you have two sticks you can do this and it’s really cool.”
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