In This League, Playing Goalie Isn't Always About Stopping The Puck
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- In the state of hockey, there's a belief that everyone should have a chance to play the game.
But for people with special needs, that wasn't always the case.
That limitation changed nine years ago when the Minnesota Special Hockey league formed and gave anyone with disabilities the chance to play stand-up hockey.
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In the game of hockey, the role of goalie is reserved for a select few.
Every Sunday, Ryan Foster and Nic Urban suit up to become the last line of defense.
"You have to be so mentally focused,' said Urban said.
Like all other goalies, Foster and Urban both feel the pressure to make the big save, but they feel the responsibility to allow a big goal even more.
"It's Minnesota Special Hockey. You're not gonna stop every puck. You got to let them go in sometimes," Foster said.
The two men are part of the Minnesota Special Hockey League. Both have learning disabilities and this game is open to anyone with special needs.
"With the disability that I have, and all that, it fit me just right," Urban said.
All ages are eligible and minutes played isn't determined by skill or technique.
The only requirement for the league is a passion to play.
"Seeing smiles on faces is the most fun thing," Foster said.
For its athletes, the league is more than just an outlet to play hockey.
Foster has learned to build friendships away from the rink.
"It's helped relationships on and off the ice," he said. "We go do fun stuff."
Hockey has always been part of Urban's family, and he no longer has to watch from the sidelines.
"It's opportunities in life," he said. "If I didn't play in this league, the way I am now, I wouldn't have an opportunity to play like this."
It's why these goalies work so hard for the win, even if it means victory goes to the other team.
"I don't mind wins and losses at all, but we just improve each game and each practice," Urban said.
Teams aren't determined by age but by ability and location.
Many times games will end in a tie and many games will hold a shootout regardless of the score so everyone has a chance to shoot the puck.
