Meet some of the members of my hockey team, The Connecticut Chasers.
Joe loves hockey. No one in his family skates or plays hockey, but because Joe is so passionate about it they signed him up with our team. He started skating this season with lots of help from our mentor coaches just to stay upright. Now he skates on his own and lights up with a million dollar smile when he scores a goal.
Peter used to have a serious problem controlling his temper. It was something that his teachers worked on with him a lot. Now he's the one helping other skaters to get up if they fall and apologizing if he runs into someone on the ice.
The mother of one of our high school mentor coaches says that her son doesn't talk much at home. After working with Jimmy, one of our learn to skate athletes, he started talking constantly about him and their experiences on the ice. At Christmas he surprised Jimmy by showing up at his house with an armload of presents.
Ted's mom never thought that her son, Ted, would ever be able to learn to skate, let alone to play hockey, as he had such difficulty with his balance. Today, Ted skates well, has learned puck handling skills and is learning to skate backwards.
Jason is one of our best skaters. He's fast and accurate and loves hockey. He told his mother that he only feels really free when he's skating.
Max just joined our team. His brother is two years younger that he is and plays on a regular hockey team. His dad is a hockey coach. Max really wanted to be on a team and have a jersey like his brother. Now he does.
Jeremy tells everyone about the Connecticut Chasers. His mom refers to us as Jeremy's "beloved hockey team".
Connor has skated with us for quite a while. He was having trouble becoming really proficient at skating so his parents suggested moving him to the goalie spot. He's awesome in the goal and is extremely enthusiastic.
These are just a few of my players. They are all hard working and love to play hockey. They are proud of their skills and that pride spills over into the rest of their lives. They love being part of a team and always support each other. Most importantly, as one of the parents reminds me often, they are doing something that no one ever thought they would be capable of doing.
Debra McAlenney
Manager, The Connecticut Chasers, Ltd.
