VOLT hockey rolls through Barrie

On Saturday, Lampman Lane Community Centre was the site of the first-ever VOLT hockey tournament in Barrie, an inclusive form of hockey that allows people with various disabilities to play the sport they love.

Around 30 players on teams from Barrie, Toronto, London and Niagara took part in the round-robin style tournament, competing for gold, silver and bronze medals.

"For disability kids, they don't get that chance very often to be in an organized sport," said Robert Hinbest, the tournament organizer.

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VOLT hockey is played in a gymnasium on a special wheel-chair cart. It first came to Barrie last year, with the Barrie Volts forming and practicing on Saturday mornings at the Lampman Lane Community Centre. The Volts competed in tournaments in the Toronto area, including a second-place finish at a North American tournament that featured teams from Alberta, Manitoba and Boston.

"We said we could do this in Barrie for sure," recalled Hinbest. "Let's get it organized and get the teams all in, and the rest is history."

The sport originated in Scandinavian countries and has recently grown in Canada, as there are now eight teams across Southern Ontario.

"It's about sportsmanship, working together as a team, and making friendships that maybe would've never happened in [the players'] lives," added Hinbest. "There are 30 players here of varying disabilities and stuff they're trying to overcome, but when they get here and they're playing this game, all that goes away. They're focused on what the game is about, and scoring goals and having fun."

While there is not yet a VOLT hockey league in Barrie or Southern Ontario, Hinbest hopes one could be formed as the sport continues to grow.