Tag: vancouver orcas

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Karen Owen and her two sons, Oliver (right) and Alex (left) wearing their #JerseysForHumboldt earlier this month.

Apr 17, 2018

Like many Canadians this month, my family has struggled to come to grips and understand the tragedy in Humboldt.

We put our sticks by the door and left the light on. We wore our jerseys in solidarity.

But unlike many families, explaining the “why” and the “how” to our boys involved a few extra layers.

We are a very proud hockey family. In addition to that, we are also a proud Canucks Autism Network family.

Two of our three boys have autism. Both are hockey players for CAN’s Vancouver Orcas. Our middle son, Oliver, has played wing on the Orcas for four years, while our youngest, Alex, is in his second year – his first as a goalie.

Explaining the tragic events in Humboldt and the many lives lost was met with quiet reflection and tears in our household.

I want to share the story of how my youngest first became a part of this nation-wide hockey community that has come to the forefront this month – and what happened when he was inspired to wear his jersey on April 12.

When Alex first started skating lessons at CAN, he would not even put his foot on the ice. It took three CAN volunteers to support him while kicking, screaming and crying. I was so frustrated because I knew how much he wanted to skate like his brother – to play hockey like his brother.

When we got home and he had calmed down, I asked him why he would not go on the ice. He let us know very clearly that he would not go on the ice without hockey gear like his brother.

From that day on, he excelled in the skating program. In full gear, mind you – and without tears and with a new determination. When he was old enough, he too was accepted on CAN’s Vancouver Orcas team and eventually found his calling as a goalie.

That was two years ago. Fast forward to this month when Alex learned the Humboldt Broncos lost most of their team and their two goalies. When it came time to get our jerseys to wear the next day at school, I gave him the choice of his Vancouver Canucks or his Vancouver Orcas jersey.

“I am the goalie and I am going to wear my team goalie jersey,” he said.

I dropped him off at school and lingered on the playground before the bell. I noticed a group of boys from his grade call him over.

I sucked in a breath, not knowing how his Orcas jersey would be perceived in the playground full of Canucks jerseys. As a mother of a son with autism, watching your child have meaningful interactions with other kids can be a rare experience. And a stressful one too.

I watched as Alex’s classmate pointed to the jersey my son was wearing. Alex explained how he plays goalie for CAN’s hockey team.

The other boy unzipped his own coat, showing Alex the jersey he wore for the team he plays for too. He gave Alex a high five and invited him to play with him and the group.

This level of inclusion had never happened before for my son. In that moment, I realized just how much of an equalizer hockey truly is.

You do not have to be a hockey family to be impacted by the events in Humboldt. But in the same way that hockey inspired something so groundbreaking for my son, this past month has shown how hockey can inspire an entire nation to provide a community of support.

On behalf of my hockey family and everyone at Canucks Autism Network, Humboldt remains in our thoughts – we stand with you.

#HumboldtStrong

-Karen M. Owen, Hockey Mom

The Humboldt Broncos GoFundMe campaign remains open until midnight tonight (Wednesday, April 18). As per campaign representatives, “an advisory committee is being established to make a recommendation for the allocation of these funds, which will be held in trust until that allocation occurs. Once donations to the GoFundMe are off, people who still want to help can contact the Broncos here: https://humboldtstrong.info/contact/”

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Apr 17, 2018

Every year, Canucks Autism Network (CAN) invites our volunteers to apply for one of four $500 scholarships to access ACT-Autism Community Training workshops.

Applicants are asked to share why they volunteer with CAN and why they want to receive funding for additional autism training.

Among the four recipients this year is Kyle Boyle. Since 2015, Kyle has volunteered in CAN’s Overnight Camps, Skate and Hockey programs, as well as at Fundraising Events, Family Events and in the office. After becoming a CAN support worker, he still continued to volunteer in our programs and events.

Here is Kyle’s volunteer testimonial:

***

When I was 10 years old, I used to play hockey in my driveway and pretend I was Markus Naslund. When I went to hockey practice on Saturday mornings, I would pretend I was Trevor Linden prepping for a game. As I grew older, I realized not everyone grows up sharing these similar experiences.

This is why I began volunteering for Canucks Autism Network (CAN).

The most meaningful experiences I have had while volunteering with CAN are found in the small moments. They are in the smiles of the 18 kids stepping onto the ice every Saturday morning.

A youth hockey team and their coaches pose for a team photo.
CAN’s Vancouver Orcas at the 2018 Special Hockey Tournament in Kelowna. Kyle in top row, third from left.

They are the moments when the fastest, most skilled player on the team stops on a clean breakaway and passes to a player lagging behind so he has the chance to score his first goal.

They are in the moments in between plays when you’re learning about your participant’s favourite animal or their fascination with Zambonis.

They are in the moments when parents recognize the CAN logo on your jacket while you stand in line for coffee and tell you how much CAN has impacted their family.

It’s these small moments that make volunteering for CAN such a special and rewarding experience.

From what I can tell, it’s small moments such as these that makes CAN so meaningful for the families too. Earlier this month, I traveled with the Vancouver Orcas (one of CAN’s two adaptive hockey teams) to Kelowna, where they participated in the annual adaptive hockey tournament.

When I was a kid, my father would take me to Tim Hortons after every hockey practice for a chocolate croissant and a chocolate milk. (As you can tell, I love chocolate.) Growing up with sisters, I always looked forward to those moments when it was just me and my old man.

During the tournament in Kelowna, I had the privilege of having a long conversation with one of the hockey dads. He told me how he shares a similar tradition with his son – Timbits after every CAN practice. His son’s favourite? Chocolate.

For me, spending time with my dad was the best part of playing hockey. It is so humbling to be a part of making that experience a possibility for CAN families too.

It is amazing to see how CAN impacts families beyond the successes on the ice. Every week at CAN, I get to see the enormous impact that the proper level of support can have on a child with autism. And as a graduate student at UBC, I get to look forward to how my experience at CAN will benefit my future career in health care. Having developed the necessary skills to support children with autism, I hope that I can – at least in part – fill a gap in the healthcare system in BC. Be a missing puzzle piece, if you will.

Although I was asked to share my own personal experience volunteering, CAN has never been about the individual. As such, I contacted other members of CAN’s volunteer family and asked them what the bright green Canucks Autism Network volunteer shirt means to them.

I’d like to share a few of those comments. One individual said, “it represents giving hope for children with autism to play sports and be involved in their community.”

Another said “dedication, passion, positivity, and the burning desire to make a difference in the lives of children and families living with autism.”

For me, it’s ensuring that every kid in CAN’s hockey program gets to step on the ice and pretend they’re Bo Horvat or Brock Boeser. It’s helping facilitate the bond between a father and son that hockey can make possible.

And for all the participants in CAN programs, I hope that when they see the green volunteer t-shirt, it means that they see a friend.

Kyle at Overnight Camp in 2015 — his first experience volunteering with CAN.

Learn more about volunteering with CAN at canucksautism.ca/volunteer.

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Apr 6, 2018

A condensed version of this story was featured in the Vancouver Canucks game-day program for their April 3, 2018 celebration of Autism Awareness Day. This story first appeared in AAJ Magazine‘s January 2018 issue, as well.

***

Like countless BC teens, seventeen-year-old Kourosh Ershad grew up a huge Vancouver Canucks fan.

“I remember Kourosh watching the Canucks in 2011,” recalled Kourosh’s dad, Farzad. “He was mesmerized. Since then, he wanted to be involved with sports in any way possible.”

Two young boys wearing hockey jerseys, one of which has his face painted, sit in the stands at Rogers Arena during a hockey game.Since then, Kourosh dreamed of playing hockey. But as a child with autism, Kourosh faced a number of challenges to participate in sports and rec in the same way as his typically-developing peers. While there is significant variability among those who share the diagnosis, the core difficulty with individuals with autism is social communication.

“Kourosh is high-functioning, but as a boy who started talking at 7 years old, comprehension and communication were always a huge challenge for him,” Farzad explained.

Because of these difficulties, children with autism often benefit from coaches and teachers taking the time to break down and repeat their instruction.

Enrolling Kourosh in a typical sports program meant throwing him into a fast-paced environment that he was likely unprepared for. In order to enjoy the thrill of sports he was fascinated with, it was clear he needed close attention and individualized support.

It was not until the Ershads found Canucks Autism Network (CAN) that they began to see a path for Kourosh to achieve his dream.  Since 2008, CAN has successfully delivered a wide range of sports and recreation programs to children and families with autism across BC.

The non-profit organization was founded ten years ago by Paolo and Clara Aquilini, co-owners of the Vancouver Canucks. Like Farzad, their son was diagnosed with autism and they identified a void in the community for high quality sports programs that met the unique needs of children with autism.

At CAN, Kourosh benefited from one-to-one support from highly trained staff and dedicated volunteers in weekly soccer and ice skating programs. “It was so important that Kourosh was never alone,” Farzad explained. “He always had a CAN instructor by his side, receiving the close attention and constant communication that he needed.”

As his skills progressed in the skating program, it was time to put a hockey stick in his hands. In October 2015, Kourosh joined the Vancouver Orcas, one of CAN’s two adapted hockey teams. Through CAN, Kourosh could realize his dream of playing hockey.

Kourosh not only learned the basics of passing, stickhandling and shooting, he was taught the nuances of interacting with his peers and teamwork — social skills that are invaluable for children and youth with autism.

Three male youth hockey players pose for a photo while sitting on a bench together.

Kourosh thrived. Week after week for two years, his confidence grew.

Ryan Yao, CAN’s Manager of Strategic Partnerships, coordinated the hockey program during Kourosh’s time with the Orcas. “He was such a positive presence in the locker room – always laughing,” recalls Ryan. “He became a leader and someone that his teammates truly looked up to.”

In April 2017, Kourosh travelled with the Orcas to Penticton for CAN’s annual hockey tournament. Playing against other adapted teams from across BC, Kourosh scored two goals in one of the tournament games and was named MVP.

Following the tournament, Kourosh challenged his parents to make a pivotal decision. With years of experience in CAN programs at his back, he was ready to compete alongside typical peers in the North Vancouver Minor Hockey Association (NVMHA).

This past September, Kourosh signed up for his local bantam team. To his family’s surprise, the new team was led by a coach that had previously worked with CAN. Kourosh’s new coach was able to work with the Ershads to ensure a smooth transition from CAN’s adapted setting to the relatively less-supported environment of a minor hockey team.

Two photos of a male youth hockey player on the ice (left) and off the ice holding a medal.

When Kourosh first joined CAN, he needed constant supervision to participate. Equipped with the social and athletic confidence gained through CAN programs, he has successfully transitioned to a typical sports environment in his community.

At the conclusion of his first season with North Vancouver Minor, he recorded 3 goals and 21 assists. Of those 24 points, he registered 5 points in the playoffs, where his team finished second.

Kourosh is living his dream and showing no signs of slowing down.

A teen male poses for a photo in an arena concourse holding a game-day magazine.
Kourosh and the Vancouver Canucks game-day program featuring this story.

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