Hockey Lessons for Kids with Special Needs (Brooks: school districts, floor)

[outofarkansas]

Does anyone know of a good place for hockey lessons for kids who have special needs such as ADHD, Autism spectrum, or physical/coordination disabilities in the MSP area? We need a teacher who has patience and is focused on skill development, not competitive drive. We are definitely NOT a hockey mom/dad, so we are out of the loop.

[golfgal]

Do you specifically want hockey or just skating? I would start with the park and rec department in your town and see what they have. Most are going to have some beginner skating lessons for hockey and figure skating. You can call and ask about compatibility with a special needs child. Most of the larger school districts have some kind of adapted sports. I don't know that I have seen ice hockey as one of them but most have floor hockey. They might be a good resource for information though.

Also, since you are not hockey parents, keep in mind that hockey in MN is a way of life, not just an activity you do in your spare time.

[Govie]

Originally Posted by outofarkansas

Does anyone know of a good place for hockey lessons for kids who have special needs such as ADHD, Autism spectrum, or physical/coordination disabilities in the MSP area? We need a teacher who has patience and is focused on skill development, not competitive drive. We are definitely NOT a hockey mom/dad, so we are out of the loop.

I don't know if I would consider Attention Deficit a serious problem but what your child has is none of my business.

I would direct you to minnesotahockey.org or highschoolhockeyforums.com (the Minnesota section). I'm a member of the latter. It's a decent forum and could be of consequence to your search.

It's a shame, me being an East Sider (arguably the most significant hockey community in the country - we produced an olympian every olympics from '60 to '80 and the most legendary coach in American history, Herb Brooks) to see it just deteriorate so exponentially since the times when I was a kid. It really was a way of life for any East Side kid back in the day but with the "white flight" and expenses of the sport it is dying in the entire Twin Cities.

Anyway, I wish you the best.