Students, teachers trade places at Prairie Grit sled hockey practice

MINOT, N.D. (KMOT) – There is no such thing as an “ordinary” practice for the Prairie Grit sled hockey team.

“It was so much fun. Like a ten out of ten,” said Cady MacIver, a fifth grader at Longfellow Elementary.

But Saturday’s practice was extraordinary.

“I was so excited when I saw my teacher, I just wanted to scream,” said Cady.

Usually, teachers are the ones helping out their students.

“It felt weird,” said Aspen Heisler, an eighth grader from Rugby.

Prairie Grit flipped the script.

“(Mason) was a rockstar out there. He was skating circles around me. We raced out there. We tied, then in the second one he got me by a long shot,” said Chris Stokke, a teacher at Perkett Elementary.

The student became the teacher.

“Normally I’m used to my teacher helping me. I would normally ask my teacher questions, but she was asking me questions,” said Cady.

“It’s a lot more balance than you would think,” said Cole Scherbenske, the outdoor ministry director at the A01 Foundation.

Skaters of all abilities can try sled hockey.

“If you are able to try it, I would. Even if you are able-bodied. I would try it because I tried it six or seven years ago and I haven’t stopped since,” said Aspen.

Some of the athletes play stand-up hockey and sled hockey.

“I like sled hockey (more than stand-up hockey) because you have to push,” said Mason Keller, a fifth grader at Perkett.

Nobody helps the players when they fall over.

Thankfully for their teachers, the players were happy to help on this day.

“Just because their sport doesn’t look the same as ours doesn’t mean it’s any less competitive or any less fun, or difficult,” said Scherbenske.

If you learn something new every day...

“If you just try your best and play hard, you’ll love it,” said Cady.

We all just got schooled.

Prairie Grit offers dozens of opportunities for people of different abilities ranging from adaptive rock climbing to swimming, to gymnastics and golf.

For more information, visit their website.

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