If you’re looking for an exciting opportunity to play a sport that many of your friends have enjoyed for years, you have to check out Sledge Hockey or "sled hockey" as it is often referred to in the United States.
Founded in Sweden in the early 1960’s, and added as an official Paralympics sport to the 1994 Winter games in Lillehammer, Norway. Sled Hockey is quickly becoming the sport of choice for many disabled athletes.
The game differs from ice hockey only in equipment and period length.
Unless there is a penalty, 6 players on the ice for each team; 3 forwards, 2 defensemen, and a goalie. Substitutes may be made when play is stopped, or on the fly. Period length is 15 minutes instead of the normal 20 minutes.
Sled Hockey is played on a regulation sized ice rink with standard size nets and puck. Be prepared to get some good exercise when you play the game!
Don’t kid yourself, sled hockey is a full contact sport and protective gear must be worn at all times: helmet with a full-
Instead of just one stick, players use two sticks to pass and shoot the puck, as well as propel themselves down the ice.
The sticks are much shorter than a regulation hockey stick and the angle of the blades is less severe. The butt end of each stick has a metal “pic” attached to each side. With these features, the sticks allow the players to propel themselves down the ice while shooting and passing.
Typically, sled frames are made of aluminum with varying lengths depending on the player’s size and in some cases the length is adjustable to allow different players to use the same sled.
Plastic Buckets are mounted at the back of the frame and are fit to each player. Standard skate blades are attached to a frame on the bottom of the sled. Blades typically can be moved forward and aft to adjust the center of gravity and in some cases the distance between the blades can be adjusted; based on the riders balance and skill level.
A foot guard and leg rest, protects the feet and keeps them off the ice.
There is also a runner on the front of the frame, which keeps the front end off the ice and also prevents the sled from riding on top of another sled.
To perform at your best, it is necessary to become one with the sled and while straps and belts are normally used to maintain proper body position, duct tape has become the strap of choice for many players.
by Randy Kwapis
From the beginning, hockey sled construction has been simplistic. With little more than a metal frame, standard hockey runners, a plastic bucket used as a seat, and modified sticks, sled hockey players took to the ice. Founded in Sweden in early 1960’s and introduced at the 1994 Lillehammer, Norway, winter Paralympics, sled hockey; or sledge, as it is called in most of the world has quickly become a favorite sport of many. While Canada is considered, by some, to be the forerunner of sled hockey equipment design and construction, one US company; Mobility Sports, is proving them wrong. Mobility Sports of Fort Wayne, Indiana, has quickly become a premier supplier of sleds and sticks across the globe. From Europe to Asia; Canada to New Mexico, sled hockey products from Mobility Sports are being used by some of the best in the game. Whereas some companies have chosen a bolt-
With the use of spacers, the runner assembly on our sleds is a highly accurate and easy to adjust mechanism. No longer are you required to measure and re-
to the desired location and tighten. Our custom designed, Laser-
We hope you will find our web site a tremendous resource if you’re wanting to learn about sled (sledge) hockey, find equipment, or get information on upcoming events around North America.
You can find links to organizations and all manner of things on our LINKS PAGE.