We want to make you aware of an exciting event, one that will benefit the Lapeer East Hockey team, at the Polar Palace on Sept. 13.
The following press release was sent to us by Karen Lemieux, LTS Instructor at the Polar Palace.
For Immediate Release: Several Ice Skating Talents will take the Ice during Polar Palace's Skating Exhibition
Lapeer, MI -- On Sunday, September 13th, the Polar Palace is hosting an exciting Skating Exhibition consisting of several ice skating talents.
The community is invited to visit the Polar Palace between 2pm and 5pm and show their support as skaters from the rink's Learn-to-Skate program "Bop to the Top" in Polar Palace's own High School Musical performance.
Enjoy beauty on ice as local synchro teams and individual skaters perform their talents to choreography and music -- from pair skating and ice dancing to freestyle and figures.
Learn about the various field moves from our commentator as local skaters and instructors perform on-ice demonstrations.
Especially exciting, and thanks to the USA Disabled Hockey Section, the Polar Palace is able to introduce the Lapeer and surrounding communities to the sport of sled hockey, by bringing several sleds and sticks for use during the Exhibition.
Michigan's only adult sled hockey team, Michigan Sled Dogs, will be joining the Lapeer East Hockey Team volunteers in a "mini" game of sled hockey.
Research has found that anyone with a disability that would prevent them from participating in "stand-up hockey" is a candidate for sled hockey. It is a sport that allows players with mobility limitations (amputees, and able-bodied people with knee, leg or hip injuries) to play, and requires great upper-body strength, balance, and the ability to handle the puck.
"Even able-bodied individuals enjoy the sport of sled hockey," stated Marc Henretta, Michigan Sled Dog Captain. "We are very excited to bring awareness of the sport to the Polar Palace."
The Exhibition will close with a free public skate between 4:15pm - 5pm where the community can meet, greet and skate with our USFS Mascot, Snow Plow Sam, along with a few of our Michigan Sled Dog team members.
Other activities include a 50-50 raffle whereby 50% of the proceeds will go to the Lapeer East Hockey Team, in addition to the raffling off of exciting gift certificates from Louie's Sports Tavern and the Polar Palace.
Informational tables will furnish the community with a range of information as well as a Fall registration table for Polar Palace's Learn-to-Skate and Learn-to-Play Hockey programs.
The schedule of events is:
2-2:45pm View our Learn-to-Skaters during Polar Palace's HS Musical performance with special guests from several local synchro teams and individual skaters
2:45-3pm Resurface the Ice
3-4pm Take in a sled hockey game with our Lapeer East High School Hockey volunteers and Michigan's only adult sled hockey team, Michigan Sled Dogs
4-4:15pm Resurface the Ice4:15-5pm Free public skate which includes a meet and greet and skate with Snow Plow Sam and a few of the Michigan Sled Dog players.
To learn more about this special Skating Exhibition, becoming a sponsor, volunteer or donating a product and/or service for our raffle, please contact Karen Lemieux via karen.lemieux@yahoo.com or contact the rink's office at 810-245-7778.
Palace is located in the historical city of Lapeer at 3301 Davison Road. The complex is a State-of-the-Art ice skating center housing two NHL regulation ice surfaces with seating for over 1,000 spectators.
Sled Hockey, according to USA Hockey, Sled (or Sledge) Hockey was invented in Sweden at a rehabilitation center in the early 1980's by a group of Swedes with a physical disability. Despite their disability, they wanted to continue playing ice hockey.
With this somewhat unknown sport, players sit in specially designed seats attached to a lightweight frame with hockey skate blades underneath. Each player carries two sticks, both have a metal pic on one end for propelling and a hockey blade on the other end for handling the puck.
Sled hockey provides an opportunity for many types of physical disabilities. The Polar Palace team hopes there is an opportunity available to someday house its own Sled Hockey team.
One Kid...One Sled...One Shot...A Hockey Player for Life! Program.
This program is designed to help bring new players into the sport of sled hockey by initiating a loaner sled program for rinks and organizations who want to conduct "Learn-to-Play Sled Hockey" clinics but were prevented from doing so due to the lack of sleds and sticks.
Through a grant from the USA Hockey Foundation, the USA Disabled Hockey Section through One Kid...One Sled...One Shot...A Hockey Player for Life! Program has purchased 25 sleds of various sizes to be loaned out to rinks and organizations to be used to conduct clinics or demonstrations.
The Michigan Sled Dogs are the only adult sled hockey team in the state. Their home rink is the Great Lakes Sports City Ice Arena located in Fraser. Currently, the team consists of twelve male athletes and one female athlete with a variety of disabilities including amputees, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy and spinal cord injuries.
The teammates range in age from fourteen to their mid-forties. Five volunteers make up the coaching team working diligently to help each athlete reach their full potential. The Michigan Sled Dogs are entering their 5th season as a team.
