The Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), in association with USA Disabled Hockey, has created a sled (sledge) hockey program, with the inaugural event this Saturday, Dec. 10, in Hershey. Adaptive sports like sled hockey offer people with disabilities improved quality of life. Sled hockey is played by persons with the lower extremity impairment that accompany cerebral palsy, paraplegia and amputation. The sport originated in Sweden in the 1960s, became a paralympic sport in 1994 and has continued to grow in popularity since.

The new program’s inaugural event will be at 4:30 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 10, at Hershey Park Arena with a scrimmage between the Johnstown Sitting Bulls and Pittsburgh Mighty Penguins sled hockey teams. It will be followed by a free clinic for interested disabled players of all ages, around 5 p.m.

The Adaptive Sports Program in the Department of PM&R also includes direct patient care and education. Timothy Hudson is a board-certified physician in physical medicine and rehabilitation, with fellowship training in spinal cord injury medicine, who has a particular interest in improving access for the disabled population to adaptive recreation. With his assistance, the Adaptive Sports Program is expected to expand and include wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, road racing and golf.

For more information, call 717-531-7010.