What does a frustrated camping girl do in the off season when she can’t go camping? Follow the hockey trail, of course! Son Caleb plays sled hockey for the Turnstone Flyers, and they hit the road for weekend tournament tours from October thru March. This weekend we traveled to North Olmsted (outside of Cleveland) to play at the second annual Ohio United Sled Hockey Tournament. Logistics were helped tremendously with a game time of 11:00 on Saturday, meaning we could leave early from Van Wert and arrive at the ice house in plenty of time for the first game. The hosts provide wonderful playing accommodations at the North Olmsted Recreation Complex and transitions were easy as our hotel was just two miles down the road. The Flyers are not known for having an excess of players on their away trips – but this tournament we had 14 players on the ice! Pushing those sleds around is hard, work and it is brutal when there are not enough players for regular substitutions! This weekend we were able to have full turn-overs of team players regularly so everyone could enjoy a few strenuous minutes on the ice, and then rotate back off again to rest! Here are just a few of our players: On the ice and ready to go, the player sits in a molded bucket mounted on skate blades with legs extending out front. The shortened hockey sticks have three-pronged metal picks on one end that are used by the player to push around the ice. The other end is a regular hockey stick used to hit the puck. Full chest, elbow, leg, head and hand protection rounds out the uniform. Once in a sled the player has to walk on his knuckles (pushing up and swinging the whole sled forward) to work his way onto the ice! Here are some action shots on the ice from this weekend's games. The Flyers haven't been established very long, and are still learning to play together as a team; going into the weekend, they had not yet had a win. That all changed when they took the court against the USA Warriors! The game was a 2-2 tie, and went into overtime. Not knowing that they played overtime, I had put my camera away and was not paying attention. When they started the overtime, the players did everything coach had shown them on his marker board to score a winning goal! And . . . . guess who made the goal? CALEB!
The Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. is home to many combat soldiers that need help with rehabilitation from their traumatic injuries sustained in the field. Here is a link to a news clip that aired on Cleveland Channel 5 news that tells the story of the USA Warriors: Next week's tournament should be interesting as it is to be played on a specially made outdoor ice rink, in downtown Pittsburgh! Anything to call attention to this great sport!
6 Comments
Sharon
1/7/2013 10:53:30 pm
Tell Caleb congrats!! Thanks for posting the photos and telling the story...I thoroughly enjoyed being along with you at the game!
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Cindy
1/9/2013 11:06:56 pm
I have always loved this sport! Go Caleb! If the team ever plays down near Virginia, let me know.
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Becky
1/10/2013 07:46:41 am
Great article!!! Way to go Caleb.....all of these athletes certainly are an inspiration to all.
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Susan
1/10/2013 09:58:32 am
Fantastic! I would love to see Caleb play!!
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Highway Bob
1/10/2013 10:03:59 am
Great show! Great job, Caleb!
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Crystal
1/14/2013 08:46:32 am
Absolutely amazing! Love the photos. Congrats, Caleb :)
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October 2021
We don’t go camping any more . . . we go ‘streamin’ ! The “SIlvermine and His” is our 2018 25' Airstream Serenity with Salsa interior and front twin beds., and ‘streamin’ is the name we use to describe our adventures. Stream along as we document everything from weekend trips to longer summer excursions and full-blown vacations. You know what they say: if you’re not in an Airstream – you’re just camping!
Tom & Ella Brown |