Canadian blind hockey hosts western regional tournament in Calgary
More than 40 visually impaired hockey players from across Canada, the United States, and as far as England dropped the puck in Calgary this weekend for the 2022 Regional Blind Hockey Tournament.
The event hosted this weekend at WinSport Canada Olympic Park features 13 members of the champion 2022 Canadian national blind hockey team along with 17 players from Alberta.
Players were drafted into three teams named in honour of Alberta Blind Hockey programs: the SeeHawks, Bullseye, and Seeing Ice Dogs who all compete in a round-robin competition.
Canadian Blind Hockey executive director Matt Morrow said the sport has grown exponentially within the last decade.
“We’ve expanded now to 18 programs across Canada, 20 in the United States and six countries worldwide,” said Morrow.
“We’ve had some little kids come to these ice sessions at youth events and take their very first steps on ice and now they’re playing in our development camps with aspirations to play on the national team. It’s so very rewarding when you see a child do that who wouldn’t otherwise have had the opportunity.”
BIG STEPS
One of those players making big steps in the game is Alberta-born Jason Yuha who represents Canada on the world stage.
Although the 31-year-old has just 10 per cent of his total vision, he still has an eye for the back of the net.
“Some people have peripheral vision like me so we know where to give them the puck,” he said.
“The biggest thing is communication, that’s everything in our sport, it’s all about working with your teammates and it makes you a more well-rounded player because you’re constantly having to be more aware of your surroundings.”
Others like 35-year-old Laura Mark says the game has helped her meet many friends over the years and has greatly impacted her mental health.
“It’s such a great feeling when a play comes together and you hear that the puck goes in, it’s just so exciting,” she said.
“With the blind hockey puck it makes me actually be able to enjoy the game and still stay fully engaged.”
ADAPTED PUCK
Blind hockey is played exclusively by players who are blind or partially sighted and have less than 10 per cent of their vision.
Players use an adapted puck that is larger than a traditional puck. It's made out of thin steel and filled with ball bearings to make noise so players can hear it when it glides down the ice.
An attacking team must also complete at least one pass before taking a shot on goal. The goaltenders are completely blind and rely on the sound of a pass whistle to indicate to them that their opponent is in a position where they’re allowed to shoot.
Lorne Webber plays goal for Team Canada. He started out as just a recreational player in his hometown of Edmonton and now competes on the world stage.
“It’s quite an awesome experience,” said Webber.
“I'm listening to the skaters and sticks and then trying to cut off that angle and listening to my defense. They're trying to help me out by giving me tips for if the puck is left side or right side and just to make sure I'm on my game kind.”
The Western Regional Blind Hockey Tournament continues throughout the weekend with games open to the public to watch on Saturday and Sunday in the main bowl of WinSport Arena.
Games take place Saturday at 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and on Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.