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Chadd Stoppa, 15, of Barry's Bay, is competing in the sledge hockey competition as part of the Renfrew County 2023 Ontario Winter Games. The tournament is being held at the Petawawa Civic Centre.
RELEASE DATE:
February 10, 2023
From nearly the first time Chadd Stoppa got on the ice in a sledge, he was hooked.
As a youngster living in Barry’s Bay, when his classmates were doing skating for gym class, he too wanted to get onto the ice, so his family looked into buying a sledge. A sledge consists of a metal frame with a “bucket” (seat) mounted on top, and two regular skate blades attached under the bucket on which the player balances. Sledges may be customized for the individual needs of the athletes. He got one and he has been zipping around the ice ever since.
Now 15 years old, Stoppa has been playing sledge hockey for 10 years and he will get a chance to compete this weekend as a member of the Niagara Thunderblades at the 2023 Ontario Winter Games happening right here in Renfrew County.
Some of the teams competing in the Winter Games were looking for players and Stoppa was lucky enough to be chosen. The tournament includes four teams representing the four areas of the province – north, east, central and west.
“I’m excited to play close to home and have family and friends come and watch the games,” he said. “I’m really happy people will get the chance to see the sport being played live.”
Sledge Hockey, also known as para ice hockey, is a sport designed to allow athletes who have a physical disability to play the game of ice hockey. Invented in the early 1960s at a rehabilitation centre in Stockholm, Sweden, it debuted at the Paralympic Winter Games in 1994.
Sledge hockey follows the same rules and structure as ice hockey, with six players on the ice, including the goalie. Players manoeuvre themselves using two specially constructed hockey sticks which have picks on one end to allow the player to propel the sledge, and a curved blade on the other for puck handling and shooting.
Stoppa got his start playing sledge hockey in Ottawa, making weekly trips for practices and games, then before the pandemic he was instrumental in bringing the sport to Barry’s Bay where there was a team for a year. Following the pandemic, he went back to playing in Ottawa and he currently plays for the Elmvale Bears Sledge Hockey Club. He is away most weekends for practices and games so he is really happy he only has to make the trip to Petawawa for the sledge hockey competition, which is taking place at the Petawawa Civic Centre.
The Thunderblades kicked off the tournament this morning at 10 a.m. against the Cruisers Silver Streaks and hit the ice again Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. against the Kitchener Sidewinders. Stoppa and his team wrap up the round robin play Saturday, February 11 at 8 a.m. against the Kawartha Blazers. The semifinals take place Saturday at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., the bronze medal game will be held at 9 a.m. Sunday, February 12, followed by the gold medal game at 11 a.m.
For more information about the Ontario Winter Games, visit renfrewcounty2023.ca.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Cindy Burwell Games Manager, Renfrew County 2023 613-433-1037
Tina Peplinskie Media Relations Coordinator 613-735-7288
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