Regina's Super HEROS hockey team gives kids with disabilities a chance to play

Mark Taylor never thought he'd see his 11-year-old son Jack putting on a hockey jersey and stepping out onto the ice as part of a team. 

Jack Taylor, who has autism, is a player on the Super HEROS team in Regina. The program provides kids with cognitive and physical challenges an opportunity to lace up some skates and hit the ice.

The team has ice time Saturday mornings at Doug Wickenheiser arena in Regina. Although its not a typical hockey game, it's exactly what Mark wanted for his son.

"For years I've been looking into hockey for him, but for a kid like Jack there wasn't anything," said Mark. 

Super HEROS aims to bridge that gap in access to the sport for Canadian kids.

The Super HEROS pilot project launched in Calgary last year, and now has expanded to more cities across Western Canada. It was adapted from the Hockey Education Reaching Society (HEROS) program designed to help kids facing poverty enjoy Canada's favourite sport.

"This program epitomizes the phrase 'hockey is for everyone,'" said Rob Kerr, one of the HEROS team members who helped start the program in Calgary.

"We've always put limitations on athletes with different disabilities," said Kerr. 

"Super HEROS is an opportunity for kids that have been forgotten and quite honestly left out of hockey."

Mark said he has taken Jack to skate at outdoor rinks, but seeing him in a jersey on a team was different. 

"I went out on the ice with them the first day and I looked up in the stands at all the parents," said Mark.

"They either had big wide grins on their face, or they kind of looked a little misty-eyed to me. I know I was a little bit because I think, like me, they didn't think they would ever see this." 

Family members looked on from the stands, holding hand-painted signs cheering on their players.

"None of these parents here care about winning a game, losing a game, or the kid's ice time. They were just happy to see these kids out on the ice," said Mark. 

The program was available to 24 kids ages seven to 17 for the season that runs until April 11. It offers all equipment to players free of charge, and there are no fees to take part.