South Carolina Stingrays Skate With Pattisons Academy Students
“When you see these kids smile and enjoy themselves, you try to do everything you can to see them smile again. It is a lot of fun.”-Igor Gongalsky
The South Carolina Stingrays aren’t a team that we as Bruins fans discuss a lot. Why? Well, perhaps it’s because they are in South Carolina and we don’t hear as much about them or because the ECHL isn’t as ‘important.’ However, all of the members that make up the NHL started out from somewhere and that’s where some of your Providence and Boston Bruins originate from, the South Carolina Stingrays.
It’s always good to read an inspirational story, but it is even better when you read about your teams’ future prospects giving back to the community.
The South Carolina Stingrays, much like your Boston Bruins, are made up of a generous group of men who take pride in giving back to their community. One place that they spend a lot of time with is the Pattison’s Academy. Pattison’s Academy is a school with a mission to improve the quality of life with children living with multiple disabilities by providing comprehensive education and rehabilitation programs.
They improve the quality of life by working as a team to consider the WHOLE child and maximize potential through integrating therapy, early intervention, service coordination, education and community involvement in the most efficient ways possible – and the numbers back that up, according to their website. About 90% of their support comes from public support. Anyone who has worked with children or adults with disabilities knows how important it is for community inclusion, and that’s exactly what the South Carolina Stingrays help incorporate.
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Last year, the South Carolina Stingrays stepped away from the hockey rink, hung up the skates and laced up some sneakers for a game of floor hockey against some of the children and staff.
A group of four members (Igor Gongalsky, Patrick Gaul, Steve Spinell and Jeremy Price) along with team President Rob Concannon taught students how to hold a stick, pass a ball and took part in a relay race in the gymnasium.
“It’s a great feeling to give back,” said Gongalsky. “When you see these kids smile and enjoy themselves, you try to do everything you can to see them smile again. It is a lot of fun.”
“With our kids, it is real important for them to be members of the community and members of society,” said Pattison’s Academy Education Administrator Steve Kiernan. “They do not always get this chance. This is wonderful for you to come out. You go from being big, strong hockey players to gentle, nice people who are working with our kids.”
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This year, the Stingrays took a different approach, having the kids use the PACE Charter to meet them at their home base, the North Charleston Coliseum. Following an astounding 6-3 victory against the Gwinnett Gladiators that featured a first professional hat trick from Derek DeBlois, the Stingrays dropped the pads and went for a casual skate with students. (To see photos of all the fun click here)
Regardless of their tough persona they exemplify on the ice, every player has a soft side and that holds true in our ECHL affiliates. They make us proud to call them members of our extended family and we applaud all they do to give back. Community inclusion is one of the biggest barriers that people living with developmental disabilities face today and the Stingrays helped to make the Coliseum and public skate, one less barrier. Stick taps from us here in Boston to all of you down in South Carolina.