Women’s Ice Sledge Hockey Hits Spotlight

"The event is the first of its kind and breakthrough for women in the sport of Ice Sledge Hockey."

The first major Women’s Ice Sledge Hockey International Jamboree is set to begin on Friday (11 May) in Philadelphia, USA, where the host nation will field a squad to battle teams from Canada and Europe on the ice.

Europe just formed a women’s-only Ice Sledge Hockey team for the first time in 2011, and since putting together the squad has already held three large-scale training camps across the continent.

Five of its players hail from Norway, four from Holland, one from Germany and one from Great Britain.

Canada’s team will be coached by Keith Metzger and led by captain Andi Grenier of Windsor, Ontario.

Shawna Davidson and Rose Babst will coach USA, which will be led by Christy Gardner.

The teams will take to the ice for three days for practices, games and drills.

The event is the first of its kind and breakthrough for women in the sport of Ice Sledge Hockey, a sport that has been a part of the Paralympic Games programme since 1994.