We chatted with David Christie, Head Coach and President of the Ottawa Bandits Hockey Club, and Nina Dyer, Director of Communications, to learn more about the amazing work of their organization to make the game fun and accessible for more players!
Can you start by telling us the story behind your organization and how it came to be?
The program originally started several years ago as a means to provide a new option for children and adults with special needs in the Ottawa and surrounding communities to play hockey. Although there were already a few hockey teams in the community for special needs, the founders felt there was an opportunity to create a hockey club that could offer a unique approach.
Where did the name ‘Bandits’ come from?
Bandit is our team mascot and an homage to the first Ottawa Police K9. It’s a representation of our close relationship with the Ottawa Police Association. When we needed a team name, the Ottawa Bandits just seemed to fit. It’s short, sweet, easy to remember, and it means something to all of our players and represents our close ties to the Ottawa Police Association.
How have the Ottawa Bandits broken the barriers for children and adults with disabilities to play hockey?
We offer a unique opportunity for children and adults with disabilities to play hockey in a setting similar to other community-based teams that practice, play games, go to tournaments and have that feeling of being on a team and playing a sport they love. Our motto is hockey, friendship and inclusion, which is what we provide every Saturday to our players.
Your club is an essential step in the right direction for inclusion in sport. How can we encourage more teams across Canada and internationally to join in creating a safe space for children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities?
We would love to see special needs hockey grow globally and for more communities to offer an opportunity for inclusion in sport. For us, our focus is building a program for children and adults in the Ottawa and surrounding areas.
A huge part of ensuring we introduce inclusion in sport is the unique approach we use when playing community-based teams. We mix the teams together so that the players are blended and play together and not just us versus them. This allows players to warm up together, share a bench, work together and bond over each and every goal. It’s an approach we find helps build that inclusion feeling for both our players and the community based team players. These games provide a great opportunity for our players to play a more competitive game and it also allows community players to engage in a fun environment with people with special needs. We have found this approach provides a positive outcome for both teams. The more we expose members of our community to our programs and special needs hockey, the more we can influence inclusion in sport.
What has been a memorable, essential, or heartwarming moment over the years of your involvement with the Ottawa Bandits Hockey Club?
There are just so many to choose from. We have participated in many community games where players show such kindness, we have travelled to some great cities for tournaments, and we have hosted some fabulous off-ice activities where our players can relax and have fun in a safe environment. One moment that stands out is an experience we had at a tournament. We have a player who for many years, has watched his siblings play hockey and supported them at all their games, but he himself was never able to play. So he joins the Ottawa Bandits and we book an out of town tournament. He finally gets to experience firsthand what his siblings have experienced. As they are such a supportive family, all the siblings came to watch. At that tournament, the player scored his first goal of his life. His siblings were overjoyed and celebrating in the stands and their enthusiasm and pride was so infectious that everyone in attendance shared in the joy and celebration. It was such a touching moment and one that always stayed in my mind.
Are you running any upcoming events in which people can get involved and help support your organization?
We host an annual golf tournament each summer to raise funds to support our program and to create exposure for our team in the community. During the hockey season, we actively seek community based hockey teams to play with our teams on Saturdays. We welcome and encourage new teams to contact us to experience this unique opportunity.
How can people learn more online about the Ottawa Bandits Hockey Club or follow you on social media?
We have a website, we are on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
- www.ottawabanditshockey.ca
- Facebook: ottawabandits
- Twitter: @OTTbandits
- Instagram: ottawabanditshockey
Or you can contact David Christie, Head Coach and President of the Ottawa Bandits Hockey Club, at dmc24@bell.net