On Thursday night, September 24th, 2009, the Minnesota Wild took on the St Louis Blues in a pre-season game at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. While it was great to see the team on our home town ice, for 75 players, family and friends of Minnesota Disabled Hockey it was a magical that will live on in their memories forever.
Luke Schmitz, member of the Minnesota Ice Hawks Adult Sled Hockey team and Iraqi War veteran, glided onto the ice in his sled, Minnesota Wild flag planted firmly at his back, as the crowd of 18,000 rose to their feet to celebrate the first Sled Hockey player in the State of Hockey to proudly wave the flag at center ice. With his hand on his heart as he saluted the flag of the Country he so valiantly has fought for, Luke began an evening that was dedicated to all of the Disabled Hockey players who have put their disability on ice and realized their dreams of being a team mate, an athlete, and a hockey player.
All the events during the game were handled by members of Minnesota Disabled Hockey. Athletes in disabled hockey represent a wide variety of people who are living with either a developmental of physical disability which prevents them from currently participating in a typical hockey program. Players and their family members sold programs, excitedly telling the crowd that night that proceeds will benefit Special and Sled Hockey programs. Members of Special Hockey, Stand Up Amputee Hockey and the National Champion Adult Sled team were on hand at a table at the main entrance to the arena to answer questions about the programs and equipment used to get up and down the ice. And Josie Mitchell, John Lindeberg and Martina Jensen got the game started as they led the fans in a chorus of “Let’s Play Hockey”!
For 12 Special and Stand Up Amputee Players, and 10 Sled Players, being on the ice during the first and second period may possibly have been the highlight of their year. During the first and second period, Special and Stand Up Amputee hockey players displayed their skills as they took over the spot light for 3 very special minutes. Following their debut that evening, Special Hockey was overjoyed to receive a $10,000 check from Section 108, who held their annual golf tournament this past summer, with proceeds designated to Minnesota Special Hockey.
The intermission between second and third period showcased the skills of the Minnesota Sled Hockey program who definitely took the opportunity to play an exciting 3 minute game that involved amazing skill, a few checks into the boards and a goals scored by Rose Hollerman and Eric Rud. With the crowd still wowed by what they had just witnessed, the Prairie Island Community presented the largest donation Minnesota Disabled Hockey has ever received; a check for $10,000 to continue to help to grow all Disabled programs in Minnesota and continue to keep players dreams alive.
Minnesota Disabled Hockey would like to say thanks to Mike Snee, Executive Director of Minnesota Hockey, and Dennis Green, Board President of Minnesota Hockey, for supporting our programs throughout the State. Thanks to Section 108 and the Prairie Island Community for their amazing generosity and recognition of our programs. And finally to the Minnesota Wild for giving our players the opportunity to share their love of the game with the greatest hockey fans in the world.
Even though the Wild did not walk away with a win that night, the evening was a true victory for hockey players throughout the State of Minnesota. The entire evening was a testament to the drive and desire of all of our players to put their passion for hockey on the ice, to share that passion with everyone in attendance, and to announce to the world that in Minnesota, the game of hockey is truly for every BODY!
