His wife's memory gets kids out on ice

from The Republican
Thursday, December 21, 2006

By GEORGE GRAHAM
ggraham@repub.com

WESTFIELD - The bouncy strains of "Jingle Bell Rock" echoed through Amelia Park ice arena one recent Tuesday evening as Charles A. Camerlin helped his 16-year-old son, Alex, prepare for sled hockey practice.

Sled hockey, now an Olympic sport for disabled athletes, is played like regular hockey, except the players sit in specially designed sleds and propel themselves with small hockey sticks or have a skater push them.

Alex is a quadriplegic with limited use of his arms, and preparations include taping his gloved hands to the hockey sticks so he can both chase the puck and shoot it around the ice.

The East Longmeadow teenager plays left wing for the Springfield Sliders, who are based here.

"I love it," said Alex, a well-spoken and confident young man clearly looking forward to the Sliders' 50-minute practice session on the ice. "This is the first team-oriented sport in which I feel I can participate."

Amelia Park, built by Albert F. Ferst in memory of his late wife, Amelia, has a growing sled hockey program.

This marks the third year that the Camerlins have been involved with the Sliders and the first in which Alex has been able to play without his father's help as a pusher - thanks to their strategic use of tape.

"Last year I couldn't," Alex said, "but then we figured it out."

Alex said he works out three times a week to strengthen his upper body for sled hockey. Shriners Hospital for Children in Springfield, meanwhile, is developing prosthetics for Alex that should eventually eliminate the need for the taping ritual.

Once the Sliders hit the ice, it's hard to tell who are enjoying themselves more, the players or their parents, clearly relishing their children's newfound freedom and developing skills.

"It's great watching them have so much fun," said Easthampton resident Lynne A. Helems as she watched her 14-year-old son, Nicola, zip around the rink. "They feel good about themselves too."

"She lives for this," said Elizabeth A. Way, watching her 15-year-old daughter, Erica, scramble for the puck. "Our calendar basically goes from Tuesday to Tuesday."

The Ways live in Webster - a long haul to Westfield - but "It's worth every mile," Way said.

Erica's paralyzed legs aren't an issue when she hits the ice, Way said.

"She is just a normal kid playing a sport that she loves with a bunch of normal kids," Way said.

That heartfelt appreciation for a bit of normalcy in their lives is a common theme voiced by Slider parents as well as players

"Even at his young age he has really learned the spirit of being on a team," said Springfield resident Anna J. Morse of her 8-year-old son, Tristan, who has cerebral palsy.

"He just loves it because it gives him something to do," said Northampton resident Lawrence LaPlante, father of - and pusher for - his son, nine-year-old Bryce.

Alex said he watched his brother play hockey for years and likes the fact that he can continue the family tradition.

Another common theme voiced by parents and family members is their indebtedness to Ferst.

The 87-year-old Westfield native not only built the ice arena six years ago, but strives to see that it's used to its fullest.

Each year, for example, Amelia Park hosts the England Sled Hockey Invitational Tournament, which attracts junior and adult teams from throughout the United States and Canada.

"What a wonderful human being he is," Charles Camerlin said of Ferst. "If it wasn't for him, (Alex) wouldn't be skating today."

"What an amazing man," Way said. "He is just so generous. ... He seems to love watching this place being used."

"If it didn't exist, (Tristan) wouldn't be able to play," Morse said.

Caryn C. France, coach and coordinator of the team, said Amelia Park gave the Sliders a major boost four years ago by donating ice time and the sleds.

"Without their support, we wouldn't have gotten off the ground that first year," France said.

Since then, the Springfield Falcons have picked up the Sliders' ice-time tab, France said.

Shriners, another major sponsor, formed the team, which has players ages 8 to 18. Shriners also donated equipment, France said.

Ferst often visits with the Sliders and on this practice night, stopped by the ice to announce he was giving boxes of Godiva chocolates as holiday gifts to all the players.

Some parents say their children's growing confidence on the ice has led to successes off it as well.

Way said her daughter, for example, tends to be very shy, "but she started opening up as the weeks went by."

Erica certainly wasn't shy this particular night. During their scrimmage, she kept after the puck, slapping it around with a well-practiced ease.

"It think it's really fun," Erica said afterward. "I like everything about it."

Way said that Erica's positive experiences at Amelia Park have led her to try wheelchair soccer and wheelchair basketball.

"She even went water-skiing this summer," Way said.

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