On Jan. 29 the National Sports Center for the Disabled in collaboration with Northwest Colorado Center for Independence, Middle Park High School Youth in Transition Program, Fraser Valley Metro Recreation and Horizons hosted its second event promoting community fitness at Winter Park Resort. A total of 11 Grand County students and friends were given the opportunity to snowboard. The group was able to experience snowboarding by participating in lessons with instructors from NSCD. As part of the experience, all students received a Simms snowboard set up – boots, board and bindings to keep.

The next event is from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19 at the Fraser Valley Metro Recreation District ice rink. They have donated ice time for anyone interested in coming out to try sled hockey with members of Colorado Adaptive Sports sled hockey team. There will be a brief to demonstrate prior to play.

Sled hockey is the adaptive form of ice hockey, and is played like traditional hockey on a standard rink with regulation-sized goals, six players per team, and three 15-minute periods per game. Players sit in specially designed sleds that rest on skate blades. They use two short hockey sticks with blades on one end to control the puck while using metal picks on the other end of the sticks to propel their sleds across the ice.

Sled Hockey is played by people with physical disabilities or lower body impairments. Participating athletes have disabilities such as leg amputations, spinal cord injuries, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, or other such impairments. It is as fast-paced and every bit as physical as traditional hockey when played at the highest levels.

Come on out and give sled hockey a try! Ice skates are free during the event as well for anyone wanting to skate. For more information contact reservations@nscd.org.