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New York Metro Blind Hockey has put together an ice skating lesson package with Learn to Skate USA, The Rinx and World Ice Arena. This will be a great way for you to learn how to skate or brush up on the skills you already have. Learn to Skate has given us a discounted rate that includes free skate rental and a certified instructor. After your lesson you are invited to stay during the public skating session which immediately follows your lesson to have some fun and work on what you just learned.
The two locations on Long Island that we have for you are The Rinx located at Hidden Pond Park in Hauppauge and The Rinx at the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center in Bethpage.
 
The location for New York City is World Ice Arena. This is a short distance from mass transit at Mets – Willets Point stop.
Ice skating flyer

The origins of Blind Hockey

 

 

Mark Demontis was a kid growing up in Canada with a dream to play in the NHL. That dream was cut short after being diagnosed with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), a disease that quickly robbed him of his vision. In 2008 Mark created Courage Canada. Courage Canada has now transitioned to become The Canadian Blind Hockey Association.

 

 

Blind Hockey was originally invented in Canada in the 1970’s with the founding of the Toronto Ice Owls in 1972, followed by Les Hiboux de Montreal in 1976. For much of the first 40 years of the sport’s history, it was played regionally with very little interaction between clubs and no organization at a national level.  That all changed in 2010 when a group of leaders from teams across the country got together to formalize the adapted rules and launch Canadian Blind Hockey (formerly known as Courage Canada Hockey for the Blind). Currently there are seven established Blind Hockey Teams across Canada, and the organization operates the annual Canadian National Blind Hockey Tournament, as well as Western and Eastern Regional Blind Hockey Tournaments.

In 2014 Kevin Shanley and Christine Osika founded America’s first Blind Ice Hockey team, the New York Nightshades. It has now spread in the US with teams formed in Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Chicago.

 

USA hockey has now sanctioned a NY Metro area team. Come be a part of this exciting team.

About

What is Blind Hockey?

Players are visually impaired ranging from low vision to completely blind. Players use an adaptive puck that makes noise and is larger and slower than a traditional puck.

Our Goal:

Our goal is to introduce people of all ages and skill levels to ice skating and to the sport of ice hockey, and to create a community of connected people by establishing a visually impaired team for the New York Metro area. USA Hockey is working aggressively with Canadian Blind Hockey to make this an official Paralympic sport. Working together, we believe we can get accomplish these goals.

If you are interested in joining use one of the contacts on the Contact page.

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Why me?

I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Ted Caputo. I live in Long Island New York. I am married with 3 kids. I have one daughter and two sons. When my older son was born we noticed that he was very quiet and would play for long periods of time with his toys on …

Continue reading “Why me?”

Contact

If you or anyone you know is visually impaired, please let us know by using one of the contacts listed below.

Long Island, Brooklyn & Queens:
Ted Caputo
Ted@NYMBH.org

Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island & downstate:
Steve Frind
SFrind@OPTONLINE.NET

USA Blind Hockey discipline national representative: 
Kevin Shanley
usablindhockey@gmail.com