The Philadelphia Blind Hockey Showcase returns this week, bigger and more inclusive. Players representing 10 high-school teams will joined by teams representing several community organizations will take part in the event, which is scheduled for Hatfield Ice Arena on Thursday night. Doors will open at 5:30; the first games half-ice games will begin at 6:10.

The players will wear specially designed goggles which replicate various types of vision disabilities. Goaltenders will be blindfolded.

The first half of the evening will see teams taking the ice representing Philadelphia Blind Hockey, the Philadelphia Flyers community staff and alumni, and the Flyers Warriors.

Following those games the high-school player will take the ice.

One team will include players from Central Bucks South, Father Judge, and Haverford High. Another will blend players from the Pennridge boys’ and girls’ teams with Malvern Prep. A third will combine players from North Penn, Central Bucks East, and Holy Ghost Prep. The fourth will put see players from Penncrest skating alongside players from Neumann University’s men’s club team.

Flyers Cup Committee President Eric Tye spoke to the impact of last year’s inaugural showcase.

“It was awesome,” he said. “I think well beyond the expectations of anyone involved. We raised a lot of awareness, we raided a lot of money for Philadelphia Blind Hockey and think all the kids that played in it really got a whole new perspective on what it’s like to have a vision disability.”

Tye noted that the players on the high-school teams involved in the showcase have been working with the Philadelphia Blind Hockey program on an ongoing basis.

“All 10 of them have spent time with Philadelphia Blind Hockey at a practice session. Whether it was this year, last year, or the year before. They’ve all spent time being out at practice, some of them two or three times.”

Steve Mescanti is the head coach at  Penncrest. He says participating in the Philadelphia Blind Hockey program, including last year’s showcase. Made an impact on his players.

“The kids really respond to it,” he said. “I think they somehow really grasp it, quickly and easily, that we’re a heck of a lot more fortunate than a lot of other people.

I think kids look at it ‘If I can teach or help these kids to love hockey as much as I do that’s a good thing.”

Mescanti says the program allows his student-athletes to use the game of hockey to make an impact in their communities.

“This is an opportunity to go out and have fun,” he said, almost in the same vein as pond hockey; ‘I can give back, and I can have fun. I can do something that I love.

“At the end, it’s very rewarding because the blind hockey kids are so appreciative which I think lets the other guys know that ‘You know what? I did a good thing here. It was very much appreciated, it’s something that love and I’m helping someone else to maybe grow the love that I have for the game.”

Haverford High John Povey says his players are looking forward to being part of the showcase.

“We had a handful of seniors that went up and attended the event and the same thing this year,” he said. “The five or six guys we’ve got going up are all seniors. It’s a nice little event for them and obviiuly what comes out of it is the unique experience of what the children are going through and what they have to live with.

 You always want to give back and I think it’s great for all the communities involve, all the clubs involved.”

Like the other participating schools, the Fords help out with Philadelphia Blind Hockey practice sessions.

“We’ve had a couple different experiences with this organization,” Povey said. “It really puts it in perspective some of the things they have to go through.

“(But) they never complain and they have every reason to. You walk into those locker rooms, you walk into those events, they’ve got smile from ear to ear. It’s really cool to see.”

“For me as a coach, it’s good to see my players get involved and they do such a good job with it. They embrace it, they look forward to it, they’re excited about it.”
 

Admission to the showcase will be $5.