COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 2016-17 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team will train this weekend at Ford Ice Center in Antioch, Tennessee. The facility is operated by the NHL’s Nashville Predators.
Team USA will participate in five practices, all open to the public, commencing Thursday. See below for the full practice schedule:
U.S. National Sled Hockey Team Practice Schedule
Date Time (ET) Location
Thursday, Sept. 29 6:15-7:45 p.m. Ford Ice Center
Friday, Sept. 30 9:00-10:30 a.m. Ford Ice Center
3:30-5:00 p.m. Ford Ice Center
Saturday, Oct. 1 9:00-10:30 a.m. Ford Ice Center
3:45-5:15 p.m. Bridgestone Arena
Head coach Jeff Sauer (Madison, Wis.) enters his sixth season behind the bench for Team USA. Since first taking the helm in 2011, Sauer has guided Team USA to a 47-4-2-12 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record that includes reaching the championship game of every major international competition and titles in seven major international competitions, including five straight championships.
The 2016-17 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team is highlighted by four, two-time Paralympic gold medalists, including goaltender Steve Cash (Overland, Mo.), defensemen Nikko Landeros (Johnstown, Colo.) and Josh Pauls (Green Brook, N.J.), and forward Adam Page (Lancaster, N.Y.). Among the three additions to the 2016-17 roster is forward Andy Yohe (Bettendorf, Iowa), who returns for his seventh campaign with Team USA and first since captaining Team USA to the gold medal at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. For the complete 2016-17 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team roster, click here.
2016 USA Hockey Disabled Hockey Workshop To Take Place This Weekend
Surrounding the training camp is the 2016 USA Hockey Disabled Hockey Workshop, which is being held at the Ford Ice Center. The workshop offers coaches and administrators on- and off-ice training, educational sessions and networking opportunities pertaining to the four disciplines of disabled hockey: amputee hockey, hearing impaired hockey, sled hockey and special hockey. Members of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team will also be attending select workshop events.
In addition to the advanced coaching clinic for sled hockey, for the first time ever USA Hockey will offer an advanced coaching clinic for special hockey at the workshop. The clinic, designed by the USA Hockey Coaching Education Program in cooperation with other special hockey organizations and experts, is specifically for coaches of special hockey programs and aims to not only cover the hockey-specific matters but also topics that are unique to special hockey. Some of the content will include adopting the American Development Model for Special Hockey; equipment and locker room issues; first aid, seizures and other medical issues; player assessment and matching lines; behavioral management; and other topics. Those interested in attending the workshop should contact Jeremy Kennedy ([email protected]). For more information on the workshop, click here.
NOTES: Labatt USA is a proud sponsor of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team … The Ford Ice Center is operated by the NHL’s Nashville Predators to continue the growth of hockey and skating in Middle Tennessee … Saturday’s afternoon practice for the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team will take place at the Bridgestone Arena, home of the Nashville Predators, as part of the 2016 USA Hockey Disabled Hockey Workshop … The Ford Ice Center will host the 2016 USA Hockey Sled Classic, presented by the NHL, from Nov. 17-20. For more information, visit usahockey.com/sledclassic … The U.S. National Sled Hockey Team has claimed five straight major international competitions, including the 2016 International Paralympic Committee Pan-Pacific Championship in Buffalo, New York; the 2016 World Sled Hockey Challenge in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia; the 2015 IPC Sled Hockey World Championship in Buffalo, New York; the 2015 World Sled Hockey Challenge in Leduc, Alberta; and the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia … Dan Brennan (Colorado Springs, Colo.), director of inline and sled hockey for USA Hockey, is serving as the general manager of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team for the sixth consecutive year. Additional team staff members include athletic trainer Mike Cortese (Boynton Beach, Fla.), equipment manager Joel Isaacson (Houghton, Mich.), and team physician Mike Uihlein (Grafton, Wis.). Cortese, Isaacson, and Uihlein have been staff members for the past four seasons.
