Thunder gives Ice Cats reason to rumble
Feb. 24, 2009

Students love annual game with special team
 

Sal Maiorana • Staff writer • February 21, 2009

There are myriad ways that Greece Athena's Pat Sofia could perform the 20 hours of community service required of him as a graduating senior this year.

He could go to a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter, spend time at a local hospital or nursing home, or read to elementary school children at a town library.

And then there is playing hockey.

"We don't even consider it community service because it's a lot of fun and we feel like we're doing a good deed," said Sofia, speaking for himself as well as the other members of the Greece Thunder boys' varsity hockey team who annually play an exhibition game against the Ice Cats, a local team comprised of handicapped and/or learning disabled children and adults.

"It's a very good experience for us on the hockey team to play against kids who aren't like us. It's always a fun time playing against them. We always have a lot of laughs on the ice.''

The Ice Cats, now in their 10th year of existence, are based out of the downtown Shumway Arena, home of the Skating Institute of Rochester, and are managed and coached by the husband-wife team of Tom and Betsy Simmons.

Ten years ago, the Simmons' were involved with a team called Westside hockey, which participated in the Special Olympics in the sport of poly hockey — hockey with a plastic puck and wooden sticks that is played on a gymnasium floor in sneakers.

But when Special Olympics decided to cut poly hockey from its state level program, the Simmons' sought another way for their then 19-year-old son, Kevin — who is deaf and also has Cerebral Palsy — to continue playing hockey.

"The kids wanted to play hockey so we decided to do it on the ice," said Betsy Simmons. "The first couple years were tough, but once we got them going they did great.''

Chris Clark, now 32, has been with the Ice Cats from the beginning.

On a team that numbers somewhere between 30 and 35 players who range in age from 10 to 40, he's considered a wily veteran.

"I just loved hockey and I couldn't play in high school (at Hilton) and I didn't think I could make it in a men's league, so I wanted to learn how to play the game," said Clark, who works at Diamond Packaging. "That's what the whole program is about, to learn to play the game and make new friends.''

At first Clark didn't know how to ice skate, but he found out that "if you know how to roller blade, then you can learn how to ice skate.''

Every year the Ice Cats fill their schedule with exhibition games against local high school teams. This year they have already played the Greece Thunder, Greece Lightning, Spencerport and Webster Schroeder.

Based on their fundraising success — the organization is trying to attain 501c3 status so it can be eligible for more grant money — they also participate in tournaments, and this season they have been to Canada, New Jersey and Albany, and today they are wrapping up their own tournament at Shumway.

When the Ice Cats play against the high schools, Simmons said she enjoys the reaction she gets from the parents of the high school players because they love watching their kids having so much fun in a sport that is usually rugged and highly competitive.

"The parents tell us it's the first time they see their kids smiling on the ice because it's fun for them," said Simmons. "A lot of times the kids play with their opposite hand, the goalie will come out sometime. It's not a competitive atmosphere. It's just a fun time for everybody.''

And while all of the games are fun, Clark said he particularly enjoys playing against the high school teams.

"That's the best because they come out on their own time and show us how to play the game, too," he said. "The whole team looks forward to playing the high school teams. Just seeing the high school kids doing all the fast skating, passing the puck — I'm a person that can catch on and pick it up and bring it to practice and get better and better watching these kids.''

The 17-year-old Sofia has played against the Ice Cats four years running, and he said the one thing that always sticks with him is the smiles on the faces of the Ice Cat players.

"One time one of their players came up to every one of us and hugged us and thanked us," he said. "It's a great time and it gives you a great feeling.''


Online version: Thunder gives Ice Cats reason to rumble
MAIORANA@DemocratandChronicle.com