Ohio Sled Hockey

Columbus, Ohio

Press Release

1/8/07

Andy Mollica/President

740-593-3357

For Immediate Release

Columbus, Ohio

Dispatch Ice Haus @ Nationwide Arena

Extraordinary Hockey Athletes Display Grit in Rousing Tournament

            Paralysis, amputations, birth defect and the daily grind of living with physical disability are all but forgotten when the picks and pucks hit the ice this weekend in the 4^th Annual Aladdin Invitational Jr. Regional Sled Hockey Tournament at the Dispatch Ice Haus attached to Nationwide Arena on January 13 and 14.  Junior sled hockey players from throughout the Midwest and beyond will travel to Columbus to compete in the only event of its kind in the state.

            Ohio Sled Hockey hosts the event, which is sponsored by the Aladdin Shriners Hospital Association for Children.  Hockey players unable to stand and skate, power their sleds across the ice with shortened hockey sticks with picks on the end in an awesome display of sheer upper body strength.  Rules, strategies and skills mirror those of USA Youth Hockey.

            Players range in age from 4 to 16.  Hockey and skating skills are wildly diverse, impacted greatly by the player’s disability.  A player with muscles weakened by disease may require skating assistance, all the while playing left wing to a center whose lower spinal cord injury compels him to sit to play, yet allows him to maneuver the ice with awe inspiring speed and agility.   The mixture of these players on and off the ice, and their unique camaraderie inspired by the sport, their individual challenges and mutual respect for one another, make the competition a must see for hockey lovers and sports fans alike.

     Teams from Buffalo and Pittsburgh enjoy a longstanding rivalry at the event, with Pittsburgh capturing the championship berth in both 2006 and 2005.  The tournament is a stepping stone for some, like Pittsburgh Mighty Penguins goalie of years past, Dan Hefley.  Hefley has moved on from the competition and qualified for a coveted spot on the US Junior National Team ...a dream for all of the athletes.

            A complete tournament schedule can be found @ www.OhioSledHockey.org Admittance to the event is FREE. Blue Jackets fans attending Saturday nights game against the Predators should be sure to come early and catch some of this action right next door – they won’t be disappointed.  The Blue Jackets Foundation has supported Ohio Sled Hockey since it’s inception in 2001 with a number of equipment grants.