U.S. National Sled Team Blog

Following the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team’s impressive 6-0 victory over Japan on Tuesday, the coaches gave the players Wednesday off to spend in Vancouver with their families. Team USA will skate tomorrow at 10 a.m. in preparation for its semifinal tilt with Norway at 7 p.m.

The Paralympic Winter Games are filled with inspirational stories of athletes overcoming odds and persevering in extraordinary conditions. The U.S. sled team athletes are no different. We’ve already highlighted Nikko Landeros, whose optimistic outlook and happy-go-lucky personality despite having been hit by a car while changing a tire as a high-schooler made those who know him nearly as excited as the many himself when he scored his first career goal Tuesday.

Take Tim Jones, whose single mother adopted him along with two other disabled children and raised them outside of Philadelphia with very little money. Or Taylor Chace, who once played able-bodied hockey in the EJHL before suffering a spinal cord injury in a game in Ontario.

Captain Andy Yohe is expecting a baby daughter in June with his wife, Katie. In a tragic coincidence, he is one of two members of Team USA, along with veteran Joe Howard, to have had his legs amputated after being hit by a train. And teenagers Bubba Torres, Adam Page and Josh Pauls are all finishing high school homework in between games while competing here in Vancouver.

Every member of Team USA has his own unique story that merits respect and admiration. But the slippery slope from admiration to pity should be avoided. These athletes are the top of their field – the best in the world of Paralympic sport. There are the gentlemen and the troublemakers. There are those who like to talk and those who stay silent. There are some who will be disappointed with silver and others who are happy to be here. These are the same athletes who participated in the Olympic Winter Games just weeks ago.

These athletes, on the whole, didn’t come to Vancouver to promote causes. Any ancillary benefit for foundations or organizations is just that. For the athletes here in Vancouver, the Paralympic Winter Games aren’t a chance to show the world that the physically disabled can compete. They’re a chance to bring glory to country and to self.

We admire these athletes for what they’ve accomplished against all odds. And rightly so. But the participants only really ask for the same recognition that is given to the great male and female athletes who compete in able-bodied Olympic events every four years. These Games are about showcasing the greatest Paralympic athletes in the world. And those watching and cheering have the privilege of saying that they’ve seen the best athletes in the world give their all for their country.

Today, the members of the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team had the day off to spend with their families. A final “resting” day before the squad buckles down for its three most important games of the last four years.

With no team functions to recap, let’s answer some common questions about sled hockey:

“What are some of sled hockey’s special rules?” – The short answer to this question is that there are virtually none. Sled hockey IS full contact, and the teams play on a regulation rink. The three most noticeable differences are the size of the team (15 players versus 20 for an NHL team), the length of the periods (15 minutes versus 20 in an NHL game… see “size of the team” as the reason for this difference) and the penalty “teeing.” Teeing (or t-boning) is called when a player checks another player using the front of his sled rather than hitting from the side.

Former 2009-10 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team member Mike Hallman on a hand bike.

“How do sled hockey players train?” – Apart from skating, sled hockey players can do several training exercises to prepare them for gamedays. Weightlifting is imperative for Paralympic sled players, as upper-body strength is a key to stamina, acceleration and overall speed. Players can also build stamina through cardio work on apparatuses such as handbikes.

“Do the Paralympians have other jobs?” – Yes… and no. Team USA is so young that several of its members are still going to school. Some players, like Joe Howard and Taylor Lipsett pull down full-time jobs. Still others, like Andy Yohe and Steve Cash, took breaks from their jobs or education to train for the Paralympics this last year. Finally, some players are lucky enough to land endorsement deals due to their Paralympic experience. Don’t miss Alexi Salamone’s Visa spots here.

Sled Hockey Equipment

“Where do players get their equipment?” – Most sleds are custom made and can be difficult to get, as every player requires different buckets to fit various frames. That’s why starter sled programs with appropriate funding are very important for the growth of the game. Team USA is using brand new sleds at this tournament donated by NASCAR driver Joey Lagano. The special sticks, however, are specially manufactured by mainstream hockey companies such as Easton.

“How does one get started in sled hockey?” – So glad you asked! Click here to find out!

Have more questions? E-mail me at alexc@usahockey.org, and I will try to answer them for you on Wednesday’s blog.

Today marked one of the busiest days to date for the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team. The men began downtown at the Georgian Court Hotel at a function hosted by sponsor P&G as part of its “Thank You Mom” Program. Team USA got a chance to interact with their families, many of whom arrived yesterday.

Then, following a final pre-tournament practice, the U.S. athletes, coaches and staff donned their Polo “Opening Ceremony” outfits and rode off to BC Place. The event itself had a distinctly different feel than that of the Olympic Winter Games several weeks ago, in that it came off as a party more than a tribute. Once again, this humble blogger is unable to provide you with footage of the Opening Ceremony, but readers in the United States can watch a recap of the fantastic event on NBC on Saturday from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. EST. Here’s how the experience played out for the athletes in their own words: Opening Ceremony Interviews

Day five of practice for the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team, and the busiest day with regard to media coverage. For the most part, most media interest has been generated by local papers wanting to cover athletes from their area. Here the Boston Globe has a feature on Kingston native Joe Howard, while the Buffalo News featured its several Team USA members one month ago.

Tim Jones is interviewed by CBC.

With sled (“sledge” to the rest of the world) hockey carrying a larger following in Canada, however, the media scrutiny has intensified. CBC interviewed New Jersey native Tim Jones earlier this week, and today CTV (which will be airing the gold medal game live across Canada) interviewed Taylor Chace, Andy Yohe and Steve Cash about the rivalry between Canada and the United States. Much of the media focus over the last week has been on the possibility of a third gold-medal hockey match-up between the North American neighbors. And rightly so. But both teams need to make it there first…

A delicious meal at La Piazza Dario.

Meanwhile, Team USA dined tonight at La Piazza Dario Ristorante… a fulfilling experience on so many levels. Already a favorite spot of U.S. Olympians, Dario’s played host to the U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team… FOUR times. With good reason. This author is one sentence away from slipping off into a Chicken Marsala and Pasta coma…

Another day of practice and another scrimmage for the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team and Japan. Team USA and Japan have had a friendly relationship for several years, with the coaching staffs forming a special bond. Japan head coach Kojin Nakakita is on familiar ground here in Vancouver. He moved to Chatham, B.C., at the age of 14 to pursue a dream of playing hockey, and even played one year of college hockey in San Diego. Nakakita began his relationship with the Japanese sled program in 2003, and has helped it grow leaps and bounds over the last few years.

Team USA won the scrimmage, 5-0, with Adam Page notching a pair of goals. Coincidentally, today marked Page’s 18th birthday. Believe it or not, that only makes Mr. Page the second youngest member of Team USA (Josh Pauls is still 17).

Josh Pauls' wingspan is measured following practice.

Once again, the “Blue Line” – consisting of Page, Brad Emmerson and Tim Jones – came up with the bulk of the U.S. scoring despite its reputation as a shut-down line. This is yet another indication of Team USA’s well-balanced line-up, though it will still need the “Blue Line” to remain responsible in the defensive end.

Find out more about Adam Page and his start in sled hockey here: Adam Page Feature. Also, check out U.S. Paralympics’ feature on Page here.

Following the scrimmage, a Polish group (the long-winded, eight-letter-acronymed name eludes me) measured each member of Team USA, paying close attention to the length of their legs and wingspan. The International Paralympic Committee is allowing this group to study what physiological traits make a good sled hockey player. Hopefully Team USA’s measurements add up to a gold.