Like most 10 year olds in International Falls, Remington Veillieux loves to play sports. His favorite sport is hockey, but a rare condition has forced him to watch from behind the boards.
Remington is the son of Sherry and Ken Veillieux of the Falls and was diagnosed with hydrocephalus at a young age. Remington had back surgery when he was nine months old to help combat the disorder. Hydrocephalus or hydrocephaly is an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain. The fluid is often under increased pressure and can compress and damage the brain.
Remington has a special shunt in his head to divert the spinal fluid and contact sports like hockey could potentially damage his fragile spine and shunt. It looked like Remington would never get to play an organized game of hockey, but things changed this winter when Sherry came across Minnesota Special Hockey.
Minnesota Special Hockey started in 2006 as a way for people with disabilities to participate in hockey. Just three teams now exist and are based in the Twin Cities: the Polars in Blaine, the Stingers in Edina and the Eagles in Woodbury. The league is a no-check, no-slap league that is designed for players of various skill levels.
“I found out about Minnesota Special Hockey near the end of the season and got in contact with (Minnesota Special Hockey Executive Director) Susie Miller. We were emailing back and forth and she invited us to come down,” Sherry said. “It worked out that we could down for their last game of the season.”
The whole family was in the Twin Cities in March to watch Remington played for the Eagles in the season finale. Remington scored four goals in the game that ended in a tie.
“It was exciting because he’s seen his brothers Logan and Sutton do it for years and he’s gone everywhere we’ve gone to watch,” Sherry Veillieux said. “We have a rink at home that he plays on, but he cannot play contact sports. To get the opportunity to go down there and let him be a part of something like that was really exciting. It was really enjoyable to see him have fun in something he wanted to do for so long.”
For Remington, having an opportunity to play in an organized game of hockey on a team was important.
“Being a part of the team was the best experience,” he said. “I like shooting and scoring.”
The program is looking to expand outside of the metro area with teams all over the state.
“We are looking in the Falls and really being flexible,” Miller said. “We are trying to keep the team more in the Iron Range area and hopefully Duluth will have their own team some day.”
Other plans for teams include Moorhead, St. Cloud and Mankato.
“We are hoping to get a team started up here,” Sherry said of the Falls. “We need to see if there is any interest in the area.”
A typical team consists of 15 players of various skill levels with volunteer goal tenders. Participants in special hockey have disabilities and there is no age limit to participate. More than 45 people ranging in age from 9 to 40 are now participating.
“It’s absolutely the most incredible thing I have ever been a part of,” Miller said. “It would be so fun for a north team to be able to come down here and play. It was such a great experience for Remington, that even if they don’t get a team in the Falls, (his mother says she is) driving him down to play.”
The teams are supported by various individuals and organizations including Minnesota Wild forward Mark Parrish, Wild season ticket holders in section 108, and a group of doctors in the Twin Cities.
“The program allows kids to play hockey that grew up going to all of their sibling’s games, or adults that grew up going to all of their sibling’s games and never got to play themselves,” Smith said. “Now it’s their turn and it’s so fun to watch.”
For more information about Minnesota Special Hockey, contact Susie Miller at 612-325-3392 or log on to the Web site at www.mnspecialhockey.org [1].