Sledge hockey

Sledge hockey is a sport that was designed to allow participants who have a physical disability to play the game of ice hockey. Ice sledge hockey (also known as sled hockey in the United States) was invented in the early 1960s in Stockholm, Sweden at a rehabilitation center. It is currently one of the most popular sports in the Paralympic Games.cn|date=March 2008

Two men from Sweden designed the sled for ice sledge hockey in the 1960s because they wanted to continue to play hockey despite their physical disability. Their design included two skate blades on a metal frame that allowed the puck to pass underneath. They completed the ensemble by including 2 round poles with bike handles for sticks. Although there are many restrictions to the measurements and weight of the sledges used in the Paralympic Games, not a whole lot has changed from the original design to the ones that exist today.

Despite the initial decline of interest after the invention of sledge hockey, competition between sledge hockey teams started up in 1969 that included five teams out of Europe. In 1981, Great Britain established their first sledge hockey team, and that was shortly followed by Canada in 1982. It was not until 1990 that the United States developed their first ice sledge hockey team and sledge hockey continued to expand when Estonia and Japan developed their teams in 1993. International ice sledge hockey became an official event in 1994 for the beginning of the Paralympic Games in Lillehammer, with Sweden claiming the first gold medal for ice sledge hockey competition. In 1998 the following Paralympic Games in Nagano, Japan, Norway won the gold medal as Canada and Sweden took the silver and bronze respectively. For the 2002 Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, the gold medal belonged to the United States with Norway and Sweden finishing second and third. The 2006 Paralympic Games in Torino, Italy saw the gold medal go to Canada, silver to Norway and bronze to the United States.

Rules

Essentially all of the regular ice hockey rules that have been implemented and enforced in regular ice hockey leagues apply to many ice sledge hockey leagues around the world. The differences that have been created into the game of ice sledge hockey are modified for the athlete and their sledges. The first set of international rules was created in 1990 and was drafted from Canadian rules.

*The entranceways to the players’ benches and penalty benches from the ice are designed evenly with the ice so the players can access them without the help of a coach or able-bodied person. Additionally, the surface area inside the players’ benches and penalty benches are made of smooth plastic or ice, which is to avoid any damage to the players’ sledges.

All players are required to have their ice sledge hockey equipment follow the standard that has been set by the IHEC (Ice Hockey Executive Committee), including their sledges, sticks, helmet, skates (if applicable), and other protective gear. The sticks for ice sledge hockey players have a curved blade (similar to regular ice hockey) at one end, and generally six to eight picks at the opposite end of the blade for maneuvering and propulsion. Movement is achieved by using the metal teeth as a means to grip the ice and push one forward. The metal picks cannot be overly pointy and protrude farther than 1cm beyond the stick so it cannot damage the ice or other players.

Related sports

Many other sports have been created with the same idea as ice sledge hockey so it can allow persons with disabilities to participate in sport. Wheelchair basketball is one of the most developed sports for people with physical disabilities and many organizations around the globe exist to promote the game of wheelchair basketball. Wheelchair basketball has existed since the 1960s at Paralympic competition in Rome. Organizations such as International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) promote the Paralympics, World Championships and Junior World Championships. International competition in Paralympic sports is continuing to expand and develop in similar ways that ice sledge hockey is. Wheelchair rugby, volleyball and wheelchair tennis are also among the most recent additions of Paralympic sports. International competition will become increasingly better if sports such as these become more accessible to communities like wheelchair basketball and ice sledge hockey.

References

*Canadian National Men’s Sledge Hockey Team. (2004). Canadian success in sledge
*hockey. Retrieved January 27, 2006, from [http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/4192/la_id/1.htm]
*Canadian Paralympic Committee. (2006). Torino 2006. Retrieved January 16, 2006, from [http://www.paralympic.ca/english/sports/sports/sledge_hockey.asp]
*Hockey Alberta. (2004). Sledge hockey tournaments. Retrieved January 16, 2006, from [http://www.hockey-alberta.ca/2004/main.htm]
*International Paralympic Committee. (2006). Ice sledge hockey. Retrieved January 16, 2006, from [http://www.paralympic.org/release/Winter_Sports/Ice_Sledge_Hockey/index.html]
*International Paralympic Ice Hockey Rulebook. (2005). International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved January 17, 2006, from [http://www.paralympic.org/release/Winter_Sports/Ice_Sledge_Hockey/About_the_sport/Rules/Rule_book_draft.pdf]
*International Wheelchair Basketball Federation. (2003). Promoting excellence and developing opportunities. Retrieved January 16, 2006, from [http://www.iwbf.org/]
*It’s The Real Deal. (2005). Paralympic schools program. Retrieved January, 16, 2006, from [http://cms.nortia.org/org/org31/Content/Home.asp?langid=1]
*Paralympic Sports Association. (2004). Sledge hockey. Retrieved January, 17, 2006, from [http://www.parasports.net/default.aspx]
*Salt Lake 2002 Paralympics. (2002). Historical records. Retrieved January, 16, 2006, from [http://saltlake2002.paralympic.org/frameset.php?url=historical_results/ish/results_by_event/pwg98_ish.html]
*Spokes n’ Motion (2006). Retrieved January 16, 2006, from [http://www.spokesnmotion.com/products]
*CanWin Sports(2006). Retrieved November 20, 2006, from [http://www.canwinsports.com/products]

See also

* 1994 1st Winter Paralympics Ice sledge hockey
* 1996 1st World Championships
* 1998 2nd Winter Paralympics Ice sledge hockey
* 2000 2nd World Championships
* 2002 3rd Winter Paralympics Ice sledge hockey
* 2004 3rd World Championships
* 2005 1st European Championships
* 2006 4th Winter Paralympics Ice sledge hockey
* 2007 2nd European Championships
* 2008 4th World Championships

External links

Leagues and Associations

* [http://www.BSHA.co.uk/ British Sledge Hockey Association]
* [http://www.csha.cz Czech Sledge Hockey League]
* [http://www.nhlpa.com/GoalsAndDreams/ProgramDetails.asp?ID=225 NHLPA Goals and Dreams Program]
* [http://www.neshl.org/ Northeastern Sled Hockey League]
* [http://www.paralympicsontario.ca/Sledge%20Hockey.pdf Paralympics Ontario]
* [http://www.neshl.org/ Prudential Northeast Sled Hockey League]
* [http://www.ontariosledge.com/ Ontario Sledge Hockey Association]
* [http://www.sheo.ca Sledge Hockey of Eastern Ontario]
* [http://www.usahockey.com/ussha/ USA Hockey]
* [http://deseretnews.com/oly/view/0,3949,70001916,00.html Winter Sport 2002]

Equipment Manufacturers

* [http://www.canwinsports.com/ Canwin Sports]
* [http://www.mobilitysports.com Mobility Sports, LLC]
* [http://www.passvilan.com/asledge.html Passvilan]
* [http://www.spokesnmotion.com Spokes n' Motion]
* [http://www.uniqueinventionsinc.com Unique Inventions]
* [http://www.handinor.no/hXGYyTMRDW4,.6.idium HandiNor AS]

Teams by Country

British teams

* [http://www.bsha.co.uk/ British National Team]
*Cardiff Huskies - [http://www.Cardiffhuskies.co.uk/ The Cardiff Huskies]
* [http://www.KingstonKestrels.co.uk/ The Kingston Kestrels]
*London Ravens
*Nottingham Knights
* [http://www.geocities.com/cardiffhuskies_net/IceMaidens Ladies Sledge Hockey Team - The Ice Maidens]

Canadian Teams

* [http://www.hockeycanada.ca/4/1/9/2/index1.shtml Canadian National Team]
* [http://www.calgarysledgehockey.ca Calgary Sledge Hockey]
* [http://www.parasports.net Edmonton Sledge Blades/Dogs]
* [http://www3.telus.net/eshc/news.html Edmonton Impact]
* [http://cap.estevan.sk.ca/esha/ Estevan, Saskatchewan Association]
* [http://www.hamiltonsledgehammers.ca/ Hamilton Sledgehammers]
*Kawartha Blazers
* [http://kingston.cioc.ca/details.asp?RSN=21475&Number=223 Kingston Knights]
* [http://www.kwsidewinders.com Kitchener Sidewinders]
* [http://www.londonblizzard.com/ London Blizzard (2 teams)]
* [http://www.markhamislanders.com/ Markham Islanders (3teams)]
*Mississauga Cruisers - [http://www.cruisers-sports.com Halton/Peel (Mississauga) Cruisers Sledge Hockey]
* [http://www.sban.ca/view.php?pid=18810 Niagara Thunder Blades]
* [http://northbayicebreakers.com/ North Bay Icebreakers]
* [http://www.ncscd.ca/OCSledgeIcePick.html Ottawa-Carleton Association]
* [http://northernsliders.tripod.com/ Sudbury Northern Sliders]
* [http://www.torontosledgehockey.com/ Toronto Sledge Hockey]
*Durham Steelhawks
* BC Eagles Sledge Hockey
* Windsor Ice Bullets
* Ottawa Barbarians
* Hamilton Score

Czech teams

* [http://www.csha.cz Czech National Team]
* [http://www.skv-kralove.cz/ B.B. Budweiser Kings]
* [http://www.draci-kolin.cz/ Draci - Dragons Kolín]
* [http://www.sledgehokejzlin.cz/ ZAS Sedící Medvědi - Sitting Bears Zlín]
* [http://sparta-sledge.cz/ HC SPARTA sledge hokej Praha]
* [http://www.sledge-olomouc.com/ Kohouti - Cocks Olomouc]
* [http://www.skvnowaco.cz/ NOWACO Sharks Karlovy Vary]

Dutch team

* [http://www.amsterdamhuskies.nl/ Amsterdam Huskies]

Estonian teams

* [http://www.eil.ee/est/spordialad/kelguhoki/2008_mm/eesti_koondise_mangijad Estonian National Team]
* SK Ordo Narva
* HC Panter Tallinn (Tallinn Panthers)
* Kelguhokiklubi Litter Tallinn

German teams

* [http://www.sledgeeishockey.de/ Germany National Team]
* [http://www.bremer-pirates.de/ Bremen Pirates]
* [http://www.cardinals-dresden.de/ Dresden Cardinals]
* [http://www.esc-hannover-scorpions.de/ Hannover Scorpions]
* [http://www.heidelberg-knights.de/ Heidelberg Knights]
* [http://www.barbarians-kamen.de/ SG Kamen/Wiehl]

Italian teams

* [http://www.hockeyarmatabrancaleone.it/ Armata Brancaleone di Varese (Lombardia)]
* [http://www.sgks.bz.it/con/cms/front_content.php?idcat=101 Aquile del Sud Tirolo Bolzano (Alto Adige)]
* [http://www.toriseduti.org/ Tori Seduti Torino (Piemonte)]

Japanese teams

* [http://www.sledge-hockey.jp/jshc/ Japan National Team]
* [http://page.freett.com/hata19/thunderbirds/nagano.htm Nagano Thunderbirds]
* [http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~zx2h-arkw/bears/ Hokkaido Bears]
* [http://www.sledge-hockey.jp/iceburns/ Tokyo Ice Burns]
* [http://www.kurohan.com/sledge/ Hachinohe Vikings]
* [http://www.addtech.jp/kansle/ Taiki Bucks]

Norwegian teams

* [http://www.kjelkehockey.no/ Norwegian National Team]
* [http://idrett.speaker.no/organisation.asp?orgelementid=533267 Oslo KHK (Oslo Kjelkehockeyklubb)]
* [http://idrett.speaker.no/Organisation.asp?orgelementid=211660 Bergen Kjelkehockey Klubb]
* [http://idrett.speaker.no/organisation.asp?OrgElementID=61423&CatId=416027 Rosenborg KHK (Rosenborg Kjelkehockeyklubb), Trondheim]
* Jordal Old Stars Langhus

Polish team

* [http://www.atak.pl/ IKS ATAK Elbląg]

Swedish teams

* [http://www.algonet.se/~pampe/ Swedish National Team]
* [http://www.fifh.com/hem/artikel_detail.asp?N_id=21 Malmö FIFH Sledgehammers]
* [http://nackahi.se/?q=node/15/ Nacka HI Kälkhockey Klub Stockholm]

United States teams

* [http://www.usolympicteam.com/paralympics/sled_hockey_teams.html United States National Team]
* [http://sledhockey.freeservers.com/ Atlantic Hammerheads (Pennsylvania)]
* [http://www.buffalosledhockey.org/ Buffalo Sabres Sled Hockey (New York)]
* [http://www.coloradosledhockey.org/ Colorado Sled Hockey]
* [http://www.cssha.org/ Colorado Springs Sled Hockey Association]
* [http://www.ctsledhockey.org/ Connecticut WolfPack]
* [http://www.lisledhockey.org/ Long Island Roughriders]
* [http://www.mnsledhockey.org/ Minnesota Sled Hockey]
* [http://www.misleddogs.com/ Michigan, Sled Dogs]
* [http://www.newenglandbruins.com/ New England Bruins]
* [http://www.ohiosledhockey.org/index.html Ohio Blades]
* [http://www.sledhockey.net/pacenterpedes/pacpindex.html PA Centerpedes]
* [http://www.coyotessledhockey.com/ Phoenix Coyotes (Phoenix, Arizona)]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pipeline/ridge/2323/sledgehockey.html Pittsburgh Mighty Penguins]
* [http://www.mainesledhockey.org/ Portland Pirates Sled Hockey Club]
* [http://www.sacramentosledhockey.org/ Sacramento Lightning]
* [http://www.sjwingsofsteel.com/ South Jersey Wings of Steel]
* [http://www.tsha.org/index.html Tennessee Regulators/Eagles] (Inactive team creating another team soon program has been dead for two years)
* [http://mywebpages.comcast.net/sledstars/ Vineland Sled Stars (New Jersey)]
* [http://www.ric.org/conditions/community/fitness/programs/hockey.aspx Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Blackhawks]

Annual North American sledge hockey tournaments

* [http://www.ohiosledhockey.org/id32.html Aladdin Invitational (Columbus, OH) – Mid-January]
* [http://www.markhamislanders.com/tournament/sledge/tournament1.htm Islanders International Sledge Hockey Tournament(Markham, ON) – Mid April]
* [http://www.londonblizzard.com/tournament.html London Blizzard Invitational (London, ON)]
* [http://www.sledhockey.org/NEINV/NEInvitational.htm New England Invitational – April]
* [http://www.albertacentennial.ca/calendar/calendar_event_details.aspx?eid=884 Western Canada Sledge Hockey Tournament - January]

* [http://www.usahockey.com/Template_Usahockey.aspx?NAV=PL_05&ID=16722] ANNUAL USA HOCKEY DISABLED FESTIVAL

Articles

* [http://sledgehockeydad.blogspot.com/ Sledge Hockey Advice]
* [http://hockey-blog-in-canada.blogspot.com/2007/11/blades-and-sleds-sledge-hockey.html blades-and-sleds-sledge-hockey]