For the Love of the Game: Canadian Blind Hockey Attracts Players With Little to No Sight

Canadian Blind Hockey players compete in a tournament. The sport of blind hockey has been around for about 70 years, the organization says. (Photo courtesy of Marc Cruz)

Canadian players with little to no eyesight have found success on the ice with blind hockey for more than 70 years with some simple equipment modifications and adjustments to the traditional rules of the sport.

The charity organization Canadian Blind Hockey works for players who are blind or partially sighted, having been diagnosed with 10 percent or less eyesight.

“When I step onto the ice, I’m just amazed at how I’m actually here. I’m playing the sport I love, the best sport ever,” one player said in a promotional video.

The sport was developed more than 70 years ago at the W. Ross MacDonald School for the Blind in Brantford, Ont.

“We found a textbook, that was the history of the school for the blind, and they talked about the superintendent building a rink and introducing the sport in 1946,” Canadian Blind Hockey executive director Matt Morrow told The Epoch Times in an interview.

“It’s been around for a very long time at the recreational level and it wasn’t really until roughly 2010 when we got the teams in Canada together and set about creating the Canadian Blind Hockey Association that it sort of started to get more formalized.”

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The Toronto Ice Owls Blind Hockey team was founded in 1972, building awareness about the sport.

Blind hockey works by modifying equipment, such as the puck, and by striving for fairness among players through its points system.

In the game, the puck is five and a half inches wide, compared to the traditional three-inch wide puck. The material for a blind hockey puck is thin steel, rather than rubber. It’s also hollow and has ball bearings that rattle and make noise as it moves across the ice. This helps players with little or no sight to track it during the game.

“It is the single most important adaptation that makes ice hockey accessible to athletes who are blind or partially sighted,” the Canadian Blind Hockey website says.

Another important adaptation in the game is the points system, which gives each player a set number of points depending on their level of eyesight. For example, a B1 player has no sight, while a B2 player has about five percent vision or less, and a B3 player has 10 percent functional vision or less.

B1 players get one point, B2 players get two, and B3 players have three points. No team can have more than 14 points on the ice during the games.

“The point system ensures not only that both teams have approximately the same level of vision, but also that there are roles on the team for strong players of all different sight classes,” the website says. “All goalies must be classified as B1’s.”

Blind hockey also has a pass rule, which requires an attacking team to pass the puck once before attempting to score. After a pass has been made, the referee sounds a high-pitched whistle, signalling to the offensive players they can attempt to score. It also puts the defensive team on notice that a goaltender shot could be attempted.

Uniform rules also differ from that of traditional hockey. One team wears a dark uniform while another wears a very bright colour, often yellow. This helps players with low sight to differentiate players from the white hockey boards and ice.

The sport is played recreationally and competitively, with the Canadian Blind Hockey Tournament held each March at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto.

Co-ed teams are created at the tournament based on players’ age, level of vision, and level of ability. This ensures players get a chance on the ice even if they come from a community that does not have a blind hockey team, the website says.

“The process for selection is to participate in the open division of the tournament or register for the tournament. Then, based on the performances of the open division, players will get invited to selection camp,” Mr. Morrow said.

Blind Hockey Growing

Mr. Morrow said the game has grown in popularity among younger players.

“When we started, it was basically an adult recreational pastime. And we’ve put together children’s games and all-ages teams across the country,” he said. “This year over a third of participants were under 18 at the national. So that’s the future of the sport right there.”

Players also have an opportunity to compete on a global level, according to Canadian Blind Hockey.

“Currently Team Canada and Team USA are the only two national programs in the world and compete against each other annually,” the organization’s website said.

“At this level, teams are not divided based on equal levels of age, experience, or vision, but rather the coaching staff of each nation will draft the best team possible.”

Blind hockey programs are being developed in England, Finland, Russia, and Australia, thanks to the work of Canadian Blind Hockey, through the development of the International Blind Ice Hockey Federation (IBIHF).

“Representatives from England, Finland, Russia, and Australia have participated in our programs and events and are working to establish programs in their home countries,” the website says. “The goal of the IBIHF is to found a World Championships for Blind Hockey, and to bring the sport to enough countries to be able to apply for inclusion in the Winter Paralympic Games.”