The Cambridge Ice Hounds, an adaptive hockey team, were forced to cancel their game on Saturday.
The Ice Hounds are the first team Jack Kerr has been a part of. The seven-year-old with autism started playing for Cambridge in September.
“He used to be very quiet,” said his mother Jennifer Kerr. “He used to watch his brother play hockey. He’s never been able to participate on his own and now he has his team, his game, and his hockey.”
The Ice Hounds were supposed to face off against another local team, but because of new sanctioning rules, the matchup was cancelled.
So on Saturday the team put out a call to its fans.
“We reached out to the community and the community came out in a big way to support us,” said head coach Cam Linwood.
The reason for the cancellation: sanctions about which governing body the hockey team belongs to.
The ruling has impacted two scheduled games so far, and will affect at least one more game this season.
There are two governing bodies for special needs hockey in Canada. The Ice Hounds are part of the Canadian Adaptive Hockey Alliance.
Recently, Canadian National Special Hockey (CNSH) was directed by the Ontario Hockey Federation to no longer participate in games against non-sanctioned teams.
Linwood says the team won’t join the CNSH because it would mean turning some players away, like those who use assisted devices on the ice.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are or what your abilities are... you're allowed to play here, and I think it's frustrating when you can't,” said Kerr. “When we're losing games because of sanctions and because of politics within different leagues."
In the meantime, the Ice Hounds will continue to welcome anyone who doesn't feel comfortable in a traditional hockey environment.
CNSH has not yet responded to CTV Kitchener’s request for comment.
In an email exchange between the Ice Pirates and Hockey Canada, obtained by CTV Kitchener, Hockey Canada encourages the two parties to overcome their differences.
“Our goal is inclusion, but we are not going to start recognizing two or more governing bodies in various disciplines of hockey."
They went on to say they are willing to help if there is any appetite for some form of reconciliation.
