Dear All,
With an eye to the Fund’s ongoing support of the Paralympic Games, I am happy to forward this message (below) to the list and to everyone who will attending the Paralympics in Salt Lake City.
Please direct any queries to Dr. David Crandell: dcrandell@nesinai.org
Sincerely and with all best wishes,
Jeff Reznick
—
Jeffrey S. Reznick, Ph.D.
Director and Senior Research Fellow
Orthotic & Prosthetic Assistance Fund, Inc. (OPAF)
330 John Carlyle Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Tel 571.431.0818
eFax 415.534.1857
Email jsr@opfund.org
Web www.opfund.org
Support OPAF by designating United Way/Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) #7763
—
For immediate release
February 4, 2002
The US and Canadian National Amputee Hockey Teams to play Exhibition Game at the Winter Paralympics on March 16, 2002.
SALT LAKE CITY – The Wasatch Mountains and the ice sheets of the Salt Lake Basin will be the World Stage for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
this year. Athletes from around the globe will come to vie for medals, to
be part of a larger community, and share the joy of representing their countries to the best of their abilities in a once-in-a-lifetime event. Other competitors are making their way to Salt Lake City to “demonstrate” their sports in the hopes that they too, will become part of the Olympic and Paralympic “Movement” while the respective key leadership take in their respective games. The US and Canadian National Amputee Hockey Teams are making the trip to Salt Lake City to make their case for the discipline of “Standing Ice Hockey” to become part of the Winter Paralympics along with Sledge Hockey, introduced as a medal sport in 1998. The two teams will play a “Showcase Exhibition” game on the last day of competition at 1 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2002 at the Steiner Ice Center adjacent to the University of Utah campus.
“We’re very excited about coming to Salt Lake City to show the world some great hockey!” says Brent Clemens (Courtice, Ontario) Team Captain and Chair of the Canadian Amputee Hockey Committee. “We’ve accomplished a lot working with the Americans over the past year,” and by each team paying their own way to come and skate, “hope to get other hockey-loving nations to form teams to increase our chances of being a full-medal sport in Turin, Italy in 2006.” “This is a great fit for the Winter Games”, says Dr. David Crandell (Needham, Massachusetts) the American Amputee Hockey Association’s (AAHA) main architect. “Because the level of play is so high, it’s great for the sport of hockey and creates new opportunities to grow the game for everyBODY!”
Crandell is also quite enthusiastic about the possibility of Standing Ice Hockey joining Sledge Ice Hockey as part of the Winter Paralympics. “We have the added advantage that hockey is played on ice, unlike Bridge!” which is trying to get into the Winter Olympics by having a tournament during the Olympics. “Having elite athletes making up both squads, is not a put-down on [the game of] bridge, where clearly the mental toughness, strategy and coolness under fire, makes for winners”, says Crandell. “Just ask my Mom! (an avid Duplicate player).
The US and Canadian Teams will arrive in Salt Lake City in time to prepare for their game as well as cheer on their respective Paralympic Sledge Hockey Teams which hope to be skating in the Medal Rounds on Friday, March 15th at the E-Center. Paul Rosen (Thornhill, Ontario), who plays back-up goalie for the Canadian Sledge Team is also the Coach of the Standing Team. “You know the adage…. everyday is a good day for hockey”, say Rosen who is happy to play a double role in Canada in the development of sport of hockey.
In addition to the Showcase Game, the US Team will be at the Steiner Ice Center Sunday morning, 9-11 am for an Ability Awareness Skate with a local youth team and an Open Skate Clinic at 10 am for those individuals with physical impairments who want to “get out on the ice and have some fun!”
For more information or if you would like directions to the Steiner Ice Center please visit the AAHA website, www.amputeehockey.org.
—–Original Message—–
From: David Crandell [mailto:dcrandell@nesinai.org]
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2002 3:25 PM
To: ‘Jeff Reznick’
Subject: Amputee Hockey in Salt Lake
Jeff,
Here’s a draft press release for the “Standing Ice Hockey Showcase” game on the final day of competition of the Winter Paralympics. We’d love to get as many people to the game as possible to see some great hockey.
Thanks again.
David
