The Soo Greyhounds are making hockey dreams come true for some local Special Olympics athletes.
Through the Ontario Hockey League squad’s non-profit Hound Power Inc. an initiative called ‘Greyhounds Guardians’ was formed.
The Guardians initiative was started by Hounds Head Coach John Dean.
“Two Christmases ago I was lucky enough to partake in a Special Olympics program in Toronto. I got on the ice and selfishly I had an absolute blast,” he said.
“It kind of sparked the idea, that maybe there’s an opportunity here in the Sault.”
The program includes 11 practices from January to March with 20 participants from ages 10-64 of varying skill levels.
Greyhounds goaltender Landon Miller told CTV News through what a typical practice looks like.
“We’ll have different stations, like a skill station where you’re working on stick handling and turning, and then shooting stations, we’ll have skating stations, passing (stations) and then at the end we’ll have a little game,” he said.
“It’s great to just allow them to work on different things and still get better – but, also just have a good time.”
Shevy Harman is a participant in the Greyhounds Guardians program and he said playing alongside the Hounds is a highlight for everyone.
“Being special needs and all. I never thought I’d have this chance. It’s so great,” he said.
“Considering that they’re doing this out of the goodness of their hearts – it’s just amazing.”
Scott MacDonald is a special education teacher at White Pines Collegiate & Vocational School and has helped organize the program.
“When John had approached us, it was a great opportunity,” he said.
“Not only was he providing a rink, for us to be able to come to, but he was providing mentors, but even bigger, he was providing an opportunity where there wasn’t going to be a cost to our players and also he was going to help us out with equipment.”
MacDonald teaches Devan Nadon, who he says was overcome with excitement all day prior to the second Guardians practice.
“Ever since I was little, I’ve been wanting to, get on the ice and just skate around and play hockey,” he said.
“I got what I wanted and that was my dream.”
Ryan Firlotte-Case had only skated in a rink twice before the program but is a huge Greyhounds fan.
The program mentors said his skills are already improving and he told CTV News it is the fun environment that has helped him.
“It feels really good,” he said.
“It’s like a positive space to play hockey and enjoy hockey and all that stuff. It’s great to learn the basics from them.”
Dean said that it is as much about learning as it is about creating community – even if sometimes they have some constructive criticism for him.
“I get their opinion sometimes now at these practices and things they’d like me to do better than the team to do better, but also the positivity that comes in,” he said.
“The support’s unbelievable. It’s so much fun. And any time you have a kind of unbridled passion like that it’s really fun to be around.”
On March 5th the program will have a game night experience where two teams of both Special Olympians and Greyhounds players will square off at GFL Memorial Gardens.
As the name suggests, the fun match will include everything from a formal warm-up, to OHL officials and PA announcers. The game night will also be open to the public.
Dean said that he hopes that the Greyhounds Guardians is something that “survives long after I’m gone.”
