Sled hockey discovery opens a whole new world

When fourteen-year-old Benton M. discovered sled hockey at Camp No Limits in Connecticut, a camp for kids with limb loss and limb difference, he never imagined that it would become his favorite sport. What started as a simple introduction quickly turned into a way to move fast, compete hard, and join a team that felt like family. 

After Benton, who had an above the knee amputation from Osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, heard about sled hockey at camp, his parents encouraged him to try it, and he joined Metro Detroit Sled Hockey’s team, Belle Tire Sled Hockey. 

Benton wasn’t sure what to expect for his first time playing. “I thought it would be hard,” said Benton. But the first time he hit the ice, he realized that he found it really exciting and fun. “I liked how easy it was to move around. I liked how fast you could go.”

Beyond the fun of speed and movement, Benton soon realized that sled hockey was also a challenging workout, one that could go all the way to the Paralympics. “(I was surprised) that it’s a full contact sport. It’s a fun sport I love playing.” 

While he came to see that he enjoyed sled hockey, what really made him return after that first practice were all the other kids on the team, and other people he had met, including Charlie Warren, an adult player he now looks up to. “(The team environment) is very nice. There are fun kids that also like to play sled hockey,” said Benton. 

One thing for this upcoming season that Benton is excited to learn is how to lift the puck. He also aims to continue getting better, so that one day he can potentially play at the collegiate level, or even the national team. 

Through sled hockey, Benton has found a home away from home, and has unearthed new goals for himself. Since joining, he’s made lots of friends with other kids on the youth team. “(Sled hockey) taught me how to be part of a team, and how to show up as part of a team,” said Benton.