P.E.I. boy with Down syndrome fulfills dream of playing hockey

The puck is passed to Ben Matheson. He skates down the ice, takes a shot and scores. His teammates go wild, cheering and piling on to him.

Ben, a Grade 8 student, is in his second year playing hockey at the Hockey Academy at East Wiltshire Intermediate in Cornwall, P.E.I.

"Two years ago we had a little boy [Ben] come to us with Down syndrome who had a real interest in hockey and we with the luck of wonderful teachers and wonderful people we made it work," said Natalie MacKinnon, the inclusive education teacher at East Wiltshire.

"We put some gear together for him, got him on the ice and spent a lot of time preparing him to be here. There's lots of lessons learned, but the biggest most positive thing that's happened from it is this inclusive environment, which is incredible."

For the love of the game

To say Ben loves hockey is an understatement.

"He walks in the door, he talks about hockey from October to February March now, thank goodness," said MacKinnon. "That's kind of his dream, is to play hockey."

MacKinnon said Ben's passion has helped him learn other skills, like learning to follow a schedule, wait his turn and work with other kids.

Making friends, building skills

MacKinnon said that Ben was nervous when he first started, but he's become much more confident as his hockey skills have improved and he's become friends with the other players.

"You especially enjoy scoring goals, right?" coach John Cusack asks Ben.

"Yep," Ben agrees.

"You just can't be running to goalie anymore," Cusack says.

"Yeah," Ben laughs.

This year, Ben started playing with a minor hockey team outside of the hockey academy at school.

"He started off not that strong his first year and he kind of just went on the ice every week and improved and his shot and his skating have come along," added Braedan Tremere, also in Grade 8.

Ben has also taught the other hockey players what he's capable of.

"He's gotten a lot better and I think he's gotten a lot more confident too," said fellow Grade 8 student Sarah MacEachern.

Sarah didn't know Ben prior to playing hockey with him, but now considers him a friend.

"It makes you feel really lucky, because it's also fun that Ben looks forward to coming out and playing with us. It makes you feel good," she said.

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