Tigers Skate with Mercer Bulldogs in a Special Night at Baker Rink
The Princeton men's hockey team took a break from hosting
collegiate teams on Wednesday, Dec. 14, when it invited the Mercer
Bulldogs Special Hockey to Baker Rink.
Mercer Bulldogs is a hockey program that offers opportunities for
individuals with developmental disabilities to participate in the
sport of ice hockey. It is comprised of over 20 developmentally
disabled players, who have Autism as well as Down's syndrome,
cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders.
"The parents were especially impressed with the Tigers' enthusiasm
and interaction with the Bulldogs. It meant so much to both players
and parents for the [hockey team] to take such an interest in them.
The players were so welcoming and were so great with the kids,
surpassing all of my expectations," Chris Benbow, head coach of the
Mercer Bulldogs said.
The Tigers worked with the kids on drills, skills and just having
fun. After the practice, the team showed the kids around the
facilities with a locker room tour, and then had a pizza party.
"It was a great privilege to skate with the kids," junior Rob
Kleebaum said. "It was a good experience for everyone involved. I
was able to learn from the kids and gained a better understanding
of the disorder and how it affects kids. It was also great to give
back to the community and see the joy on the kids' faces. We were
able to enjoy just playing hockey with the kids and forget any
personal problems. I gained a lot from the experience and would
hope the kids had as much fun as I did."
"Being able to skate with the Mercer County Bulldogs was both a
rewarding and fun experience," junior Mike Condon said. "I believe
I speak for the team by saying that we all had a blast skating
with, and meeting the kids and their parents. Despite the fact that
all the goalies on our team got scored on numerous times, I look
forward to skating with the Bulldogs in the future!"
"Perspective, appreciation and responsibility are glaring in the
photos," head coach Bob Prier said. "Most of all I was so proud of
how courageous and confident our student-athletes were outside of
their comfort zones."
