First-of-its-kind hockey showcase brings together adaptive players from around Western Canada

A Calgary group has found a way to share our national sport with young athletes who may not always get the chance to play with their peers.

This weekend, over 80 kids from across Western Canada piled into Calgary dressing rooms and laced up their skates for the first ever SuperHEROS Spring Friendship Series.

The Super HEROS program comes from the Hockey Education Reaching Out Society (HEROS). The organization teaches life skills and empowers marginalized youth through hockey.

"HEROS has been around for almost 25 years and what we've historically done is provide access to hockey for communities where kids are living with real significant financial barriers to sport, but as well as other social barriers,: says Kevin Hodgson, the Executive Director of HEROS.

"In 2018 we discovered there was this gap in Western Canada that there wasn't anywhere for kids living with disabilities to play the game."

NEW MEMORIES

This weekend was an opportunity for players like Ben Walker to play in a tournament and make new memories and friends.

"I like supporting the team, passing the puck, playing and having fun," says Walker. "I love playing for the SuperHEROS because the name is perfect.

"I like the name SuperHEROS," he added. "It makes me feel like a hero."

Skating alongside the SuperHEROS were players from the AMP Flames Sledge Hockey Team and the Calgary Seeing Ice Dogs Blind Hockey Team.

Also on the ice, Calgary beer league team 'The Grinders' who raised $20,000 to help make it all possible.

"These are a bunch of guys who just love playing the game together, they play it recreationally and want to share that with these kids and it's just a fantastic opportunity for our kids," says Hodgson.

For some players, this was the very first time they’ve played in a hockey tournament.

So while it's creating community on the ice, it;s also creating a community for families who were in the stands cheering their heroes on.

"It's just as exciting to see the families enjoying this together, it's just as exciting to see a mom or a dad crying going I never thought I'd get to be a hockey parent, it's just so powerful to see the impact it has on the whole family," adds Hodgson.

More information on the SuperHEROS program, click here.