Hockey is a quintessential Canadian sport, and while this traditional sport requires perfect athletic ability, the sport’s essence is increasingly being adapted to allow people of all abilities to participate in the game.
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Enter Bolt Hockey.
“It’s like floor hockey, but it’s geared towards people with limited abilities,” said Rachel Hansen, head coach of Edmonton’s Bolts hockey. “No matter what condition or mobility issue you have, you can still participate in this sport.”
Bolt Hockey is a fun game for all ages, played on a court in specially designed battery-powered chairs that have been modified to allow participants with limited upper body mobility to play hockey.
“It’s controlled with a little joystick and the speed changes depending on how fast you want to go, and I think the main difference is that regular hockey is five-on-five and this is three-on-three,” Hansen said.
She has been coaching the sport since last fall and has been involved as a volunteer with Alberta children’s charity Variety since 2021. Due to the nature of the sport, participants all have different needs, so adapting to them is a key aspect of her role, she said.
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“It’s really important to make sure everyone can participate, including those who don’t get the opportunities in normal society.
“They can participate in sports and feel a sense of being part of a team and a community and have an opportunity to play on an equal footing.”
On Thursday, 10 children and teens attending Glen Rose Rehabilitation Hospital’s Pediatric Specialized Rehabilitation Outpatient Program (SROP) buckled up and got to try out the sport for themselves.
“Children who use wheelchairs often don’t have the same opportunities to explore sports and general recreation as other children,” says Chanel Kolodas Kasper, recreation therapist at the Glen Rose program.
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“So we want to help them develop the confidence and skills and the ability to put those skills into practice at home, in the hospital and in the community.”
It’s part of a group called Real Fun Sports, which Kolodus-Kasper said provides evidence-based therapeutic recreation opportunities for children who use wheelchairs.
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The first four sessions took place within Glen Rose, where Kolodus Kasper said the children tried out wheelchair basketball and rugby.
“Now we’ve moved on to try out sports that are popular in the area. So we tried sit-skiing, we tried bowling and today we’re going to try out Bolt hockey.”
She explained that the day-to-day emotional burden of living with a child with a disability can be overwhelming for parents, but groups like the Glen Rose Program help ease that burden.
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“It can be really time-consuming for parents to explore different hobbies and try different things, so organizations like this reduce those barriers and provide something for themselves,” Kolodas-Kasper said.
Families are often interested in getting their children involved in adaptive sports and activities, but can face challenges including cost, schedules, access to facilities and even knowing what options are available, she said.
“Organizations like this can break down those barriers and give patients the opportunity to have a trial at a low cost. And if patients feel comfortable, confident and love sport, it makes it easier for them to get involved in local sports,” Kolodas-Kasper said.
For wheelchair-bound Salam Mouat, 15, it was the first time he’d ever seen anything like bolt hockey, let alone tried it. Mouat, 15, was born with spina bifida, meaning he is paralyzed from the waist down.
“We’re human beings. We’re human beings. So it makes me feel good knowing we have a lot of work to do,” the teen said.
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Maus said it was inspiring to see more activities available to people in wheelchairs.
“I’m not very good at it, but I love basketball,” she said. “I like it fast.”
Kolodas Kasper said the children in her program are just as enthusiastic about sports and eager to learn and experience as their able-bodied peers.
“They’re very ambitious and adventurous, so I really enjoy being able to tailor programs and support patients as they try new things so that when they are able to pursue things individually, they can move forward with confidence again.”
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She added that this is more than just fun: “Such activities are therapeutic and beneficial for overall rehabilitation.”
Not only do children get to be physically active, but they also interact with their peers and are stimulated by new experiences.
“When playing sports, you need to listen to instructions, follow cues and pay attention to your surroundings,” Kolodus Kasper said.
“You gain a lot of skills that can be applied to other areas of life.”
Bolt Hockey caters to all abilities and interest levels, from casual once-a-week participation to team level.
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“If you join the development team you can compete in Toronto and Sweden in September, so you can work on this for as long as you like,” Hansen said.
While Bolt was founded with the disability community in mind, Variety noted that all community members are welcome to sign up for the Bolt Recreation League, regardless of ability.
According to the Alberta Hockey Association, it costs about $70,000 to outfit one team with equipment, so Alberta Children’s Charity Variety relies on grants.
For more information about Bolt Hockey, how to get involved or support the program, visit the Variety Alberta website or contact [email protected]
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