In the United States, hockey is a niche sports. There are passionate fans who support the game and unique individuals that play it. But there are even others more unique still.
Dave Levesque is one such unique athlete. You would not readily know his name since he has never played a single game in either the NHL, AHL, or even the ECHL, In fact, he is a teacher, having taught special and computer education in a middle school in Derry, New Hampshire, for the last seven years. Yet his is one compelling hockey story. "I was born missing three fingers on a shortened right arm and missing a pinky on my left hand," Levesque said.
Levesque began playing hockey at age four against able bodied players. "I participated in several select camps in Lake Placid, NY and played for the Granite State Stars (now known as the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs of the EJHL) in 1993 through 1995 but stopped playing hockey soon thereafter," He said. "I gave up on hockey until five years ago when I heard about the amputee hockey program."
In 1999 the American Amputee Hockey Association (AAHA) was developed to create opportunities for people who have suffered from limb loss or birth defects to play ice hockey against other players with similar disabilities.
"Every player on the team is missing either an arm, a leg or even in some cases both legs," He said. "Our game is played standing upright so the people that are missing legs need to learn how to adjust to a prosthetic leg and skate on it."
The AAHA is filled with amazing stories. For example, Head Coach, Bret Chernik of Suffield, Connecticut, lost his leg when hit by a car helping a stranded motorist change a tire. Levesque says that the AAHA recently added its first Iraqi veteran who lost his leg in combat, "Sergeant Joseph Bowser was struck by shrapnel from a missile in 2006. His leg was amputated and he has been hard at work adjusting to life with a new prosthetic limb. Joe has learned to skate on this new leg and continues to play the game he so loves," He said.
The AAHA has participated in three World Championships and is truly a "world" event. The United States joins teams from Russia, the Czech Republic, Canada, Finland, and Latvia as full members of the International Standing Ice Hockey Federation (ISIHF) while Israel and Australia are associate members.
Team USA, which Levesque captains, is currently preparing for the 2008 World Amputee Hockey Championship in Marlborough, MA. The series runs from April 2nd through the 6th. On Saturday, Feb. 23rd at the XL Center Levesque and Team USA will take to the ice at 4:00 prior to the Wolf Pack's home game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, in a tune-up game against the NYPD's Hockey Team. The Wolf Pack generously have agreed to donate a portion of ticket sales for their game to support the Team USA's efforts.
These games are anything but soft, amateurish scrimmages. Like their NHL counterparts, things get pretty intense and emotional. "Team USA has finished runners-up in each of the World Championships losing to Canada each time," Levesque said sharply. "The competition is fierce amongst all the country's teams that participate."
"The Canadian/American rivalry is no doubt evident all throughout our games," Levesque said. "We have had several incidents during our games where many words and fists have been equally thrown and received," Adding, "While on the ice during competition, we hate each other and when off the ice we manage to keep things civil, but we are tired of hearing the Canadian National Anthem each time we lose to them. It is time for them to hear our National Anthem," He said.
"We are currently trying to meet all the guidelines in order to reach paralympic status," Levesque said.
Developing a competitive team is much like any other hockey program; the work is never done. Team USA holds open tryouts each year with players attending from all across the country. The ISIHF has their International Championship on even numbered years, so during the off year the AAHA continues to develop player's skills, increase the awareness to other disabled people interested in Ice Hockey and of course, raise money.
Levesque is especially passionate about getting support from the American hockey community. In addition to needing financial support, the team also needs more players. "Players who are interested in getting on the ice with us should visit our website which is part of the Disabled Section of USA Hockey at USAhockey.com," He said. "Any interested participants can find an email list of the entire Executive Board, including our Head Coach, Player Rep, and many other contacts."
Levesque said that the AAHA does a lot more for their players than just getting them on the ice. "The AAHA has allowed people to network and share ideas on which prosthetics to use, how to increase their overall standard of life, and helps those who need further rehabilitation," Levesque said. "The organization is a supportive family and provides opportunities for other amputees to continue playing hockey."
After the game, both ends of the XL Center's Atrium will have tables where the teams will be displaying the different types of prosthetic limbs that they use on the ice.
Playing in the AAHA is more than just a physical challenge for many of these players. "We require all our players to raise all their own expense money in order to participate so for some of us that's quite a challenge in and of itself," He said. As a registered non-profit organization in Massachusetts with very limited funding, the AAHA has to increase its efforts to spread the word about their amputee hockey program and find more corporate as well as individual sponsors. "We've been fortunate and grateful that AETNA Insurance of Connecticut has been so great to us," Levesque said. "They've been our sole corporate sponsor the past 3 years so we're reaching out all over the country to find all possible revenue streams to help support our cause."
For more information on the AAHA, Team USA or on how you could make a tax-deductible donation you can email Dave Levesque at clw_man@hotmail.com. If you are asking about a donation Levesque requested that "AAHA donation" be put in the subject line.
"(For me) the AAHA has brought my love of (hockey) back to life," Levesque said. "It has given me a second chance with hockey and more importantly developed lifelong friendships with other people that live life with a missing limb."
(All photos courtesy of Dave Levesque)
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