Sledge Hockey
The Game
Sledge Hockey is an innovative team sport that incorporates the same rules and discipline structure as ice hockey. It is played mainly by people with various lower extremity disabilities (e.g. people with amputations, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, post polio, etc.). Sledge Hockey players sit on specially designed sleds with skate blades under the seat. You use your arms to propel yourself by digging the picks, on the ends of two short hockey sticks, into the ice and pulling yourself forward. You have a right and a left stick (the blades are curved differently) that are miniature copies of a typical hockey stick, except for the metal picks (like figure skate toe picks) on the ends. You shoot, pass, and propel yourself with them.
Edmonton Sledge Hockey Organizations:
For more information on Sledge Hockey, please utilize the following resources:
- National Sledge Team
- Women's Sledge Hockey of Canada
- Hockey Canada - Arena Design Guidelines
- Hockey Canada - Sledge Hockey Brochure
- Hockey Alberta/Paralympic Sports Association - "Sledges in Schools" Program
- National Sledge Team - YouTube
- IPC Ice Sledge Hockey
- Paralympic Sport - Sledge Hockey
- Paralympic Sports Association Web site
Equipment
Developed in Canada, players sit on special aluminum sledges with regulation skate blades. Canada is the recognized international leader in the development of the sport of Sledge Hockey and equipment for players. Many countries now seek the coaching advice, organizational planning, equipment, and design expertise of our players, coaches and tournament officials. Sledge Hockey sticks are fiberglass laminated with angled picks attached to one end.
