Canadian Paralympic Athletes Win Big by Shandi Pace

After sending it’s largest contingency to the Paralympics Canada did not disappoint. The
athletes representing the maple leaf picked up a total of 28 medals (8 gold, 4 silver, 16 bronze). This blows away Canada’s most successful Winter Games set in Vancouver in 2010 where 19 total medals were won, 10 of which were gold.

Many athletes were able to accomplish what they set out to do. Mark Arendz was the clear choice as Canada’s flag bearer after his impressive medal count. After years of heartbreak, he finally won the biathlon gold he was missing. Arendz won a total of five individual medals and a cross-country mixed relay silver to bring his total to six.

Brian McKeever became Canada’s most decorated Paralympic athlete and won triple gold in PyeongChang. He now has 16 Paralympic medals, 13 of them being gold. The Canadian men’s sledge hockey team took home the silver medal after a heartbreaking overtime loss to the United States.

Mollie Jepsen won four medals in South Korea, including gold in the women’s standing super-combined slalom. This 18-year-old can only walk away with her head held high and medals of every colour around her neck.

These athletes were unstoppable as soon as the Games started. With the amount of talent Canadian athletes have shown over the last two weeks, it’s only fitting to be even more excited for the next Paralympic Winter Games in 2022.

Paralympic Athletes to Watch in PyeongChang by Shandi Pace

Although the Winter Olympics have finished, the Paralympics are only just beginning. More than 50 athletes will be proudly wearing the red maple leaf, representing Canada in PyeongChang, South Korea from March 8-18.

The Paralympics never get as much coverage or excitement as the Olympics do unfortunately, but learning more about the athletes that will be representing Team Canada can add to your enthusiasm at home. With varying levels of experience and multiple skill sets, here are three standouts to watch:

Brian McKeever

Sport:

Nordic Skiing - Biathlon

Nordic Skiing - Cross Country Skiing

Brian McKeever made history at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games when he was named to both the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic teams. Over his career, he’s raced at four Paralympics and remains one of the top visually impaired cross-country skiers in the world. McKeever has won an incredible 13 medals, 10 of which are gold. During the World Championships in February, he captured the win with his guide in the 10- and 20-kilometre events. He also helped Canada make its first ever podium finish in the 4x2.5-kilometre relay.

Read full bio: http://paralympic.ca/brian-mckeever

Ina Forrest

Sport:

Wheelchair Curling

Ina Forrest made her curling debut at the 2010 Vancouver Paralympics vice-skipping for Team Canada. Forrest helped Team Canada capture Paralympic gold in Vancouver and in Sochi. In PyeongChang, she’ll be helping Canada try to win its fourth consecutive Paralympic gold medal in wheelchair curling.

In total, Forrest has competed at nine straight world wheelchair curling championships. She has captured first three times and has never finished outside of the top ten.

Forrest was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in February 2016, re-establishing that she is one of the most decorated wheelchair curlers and is still hungry for more gold.

Read full bio: http://paralympic.ca/ina-forrest

Liam Hickey

Sport:

Sledge Hockey/Wheelchair Basketball 

Competing in both the Summer and Winter Games is a feat not many athletes have accomplished. Liam Hickey is a 19-year-old from St. John’s, Newfoundland that played wheelchair basketball for Team Canada at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. He’s now making the transition from the court to the ice, and will be playing for Canada’s sledge hockey team in PyeongChang.

Hickey was named as one of four teenagers that were named to Canada’s National Sledge team in December 2016. At the 2017 World Para Ice Hockey Championships in South Korea in April of last year, Hickey finished fourth in tournament scoring with seven goals and nine assists. This was Hickey’s first world championship in the sport as he helped Team Canada defeat its rivals, the USA 4-1 to win their fourth world title.

Read full bio: http://paralympic.ca/liam-hickey 

You Can Play by Shandi Pace

"If you can play, You Can Play.” At the beginning of March the National Hockey League’s wraps up its Hockey is for Everyone month. The NHL is one of the most accepting professional leagues stating that they, “believe all hockey programs – from professionals to youth organizations – should provide a safe, positive and inclusive environment for players and families regardless of race, colour, religion, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation and socio-economic status.”

The NHL has a list of representatives they have been working with to guarantee inclusivity to anyone watching or playing the game of hockey. They include:

• Diversity ambassador Willie O’Ree – The first black person to play in the NHL.
• Josh Pauls – Captain of the U.S. National Sled team who will be competing at the 2018 Paralympics this month.
• Harrison Browne – The first openly transgender person in professional hockey.
• Fred Sasakamoose – The NHL’s first Canadian indigenous player.
• A player ambassador from each NHL team.

Partnered with the NHL and Hockey is for Everyone is the You Can Play Project. The You Can Play Project was created so that any athlete, coach or fan that brings heart to their sports arena is given an equal opportunity to play, regardless of their sexuality and gender identity.

The NHL’s Patrick Burke founded You Can Play in 2012, after his brother Brendan came out as gay in 2009 as the manager of the Miami (Ohio) University hockey team. He died months later in a car accident.

Brian Kitts took over as president of the You Can Play Project a year ago and has wanted to build Patrick and Brendan Burke’s memorable legacies. “You Can Play is non-profit organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ athletes and straight allies in sports. We specifically work for LGBTQ+ issues in sports, leaving other issues like employment and marriage equality to other organizations with that focus,” said Kitts.

Each NHL team hosted multiple pride nights and has a player ambassador that will serve as the go-to person on their team to talk about LGBTQ+ issues. This is the first time any professional league has had one designated player on each team who will be an LGBTQ+ ambassador.

"The true testament of the NHL and NHLPA is seen through Hockey is for Everyone month, especially when it comes to You Can Play – the fact that all 30 clubs have an ambassador, is such a moment of solidarity," said Jillian Svensson, vice president of operations and development for You Can Play.

The sports world is one of the only places where slurs are used, ‘casual homophobia’ and discrimination towards those who are different still exists. The goal for You Can Play is to promote respect for all athletes.

"We love sports, but hated the way sports treated our gay brothers, our LGBTQ+ friends or ourselves. We thought if we could start a discussion that focused attention on a player's ability – regardless of sexual orientation – we could change the culture of sports,” said Kitts.

The You Can Play Project recently celebrated its sixth anniversary. According to Kitts, the biggest change in those six years has been the willingness of leagues and athletes to get involved. In that timeframe they have united with several large partners including the NHL, CFL and MLS.

"The NHL, CFL and MLS, CWHL and COC have been such amazing partners, for many different reasons, but the visibility they offer to ‘normalizing’ inclusion at the most elite level of sport is truly amazing,” said Tyvon Greene, co-chair of the Canadian Eastern Region Advisory Board for You Can Play.

According to Greene, inclusion doesn’t just start and stop with major sports partners. It begins with how the community is receiving the message. The first step in supporting a cause is to educate and spread the word.

"Read up on You Can Play's work and on the issues surrounding LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport. From there, there are so many different ways to help out: make a video, run a You Can Play night, tell a few friends, and make a donation,” said Greene.

Abilities Expo 2018

“The event for the disability community.”

The second annual Abilities Expo on Canadian soil was held January 19-21 at the International Centre in Toronto. The Abilities Expo promotes greater independence and offers a chance to discover life-changing products, services and workshops to those with special needs. Different events ranging from wheelchair dancing and basketball, face painting, service dog demonstrations were available all weekend.

This year for the very first time, Ability Online was able to participate. Ability Online had the chance to reconnect with members from the past and present at our booth. Highlighting ways that kids, teens and young adults with disabilities as well as parents and professionals can connect to get support in a safe environment.

Products and Services: A wide variety of products and services were available to try all weekend for anyone to test out including mobility products, devices for those with developmental disabilities, other medical equipment, necessary services, and more. Not-for-profit organizations (like Ability Online) were also on hand to provide helpful resources.

Sports and Dancing: Physical activity has always been a key to better health. Attendees of any ability could test out their skills with sports like hockey, basketball, rugby, tennis and sitting volleyball. Dancing queen Auti Angel and Wheel Dance offered interactive dancing workshops that got the entire crowd moving.

Assistance Animals: Animals have always been near and dear to our hearts, but even more so to the disable community. Service dogs are essential in guiding, hearing, diabetic alerts, autism support, and seizure alerts. Service dog demonstrations offered information about how these animals can improve ones life.

Go check out Ability Online's social media to see some more photos from the event and sign up today!