EDMONTON – At 10-years-old and with only half his eyesight, Matt Smith is among the best hockey players his age in North America.
The Edmonton boy is a defenceman for Team Brick Alberta, competing in the prestigious 24th annual Brick Invitational Super Novice Hockey Tournament. And with the way he plays, you would never guess he lost his eye to Retinoblastoma, a fast-developing cancer.
“A lot of comments I hear about him playing hockey is that he sees the ice so well,” says his dad, Scott. “And I kind of chuckle and I’m thinking, he only sees half the time, half the time.”
Matt was just two and a half years old when he had to undergo life-saving surgery to remove his eye because of the tumour that was attached to it. Doctors said the cancer would otherwise have spread to his brain before he turned four, which was a huge shock for his parents.
“There was no signs, no warnings, no nothing,” his mom Cindy recalls. “Like he never ran into things…That’s why they truly believe he was born with it.”
Looking back at pictures of the day her son underwent surgery still makes her and her husband emotional.
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“This is probably the hardest one,” Scott said, pointing to one photo. “He was on a big wheel, riding a big wheel to the operating room.”
Matt doesn’t remember anything about that time, but he does recall his first time he hit the ice with his new prosthetic eye.
“The first time I got on, I wasn’t so good, I fell a lot,” he admits. “And then I got used to skating with it, and that’s when I liked it.”
He also remembers watching the Brick Tournament when he was younger.
“I told my dad, I want to try out for that team and make it.”
A few years later, he did. And now, he’s a force to be reckoned with on the ice – thanks in part to two of his biggest supporters.
“My dad helped me train and my mom got me ready and fed me well.”
Matt’s Team Brick Alberta head coach Steve Serdachny describes the youngster as good puck-moving defenceman, with a great edge to his game.
When asked about his son’s strengths on the ice, Scott – who coaches his son as well – lists skating and vision as the top two.
“Like, it’s funny to say vision, but he sees the players and makes a good first pass on his own.”
As for hopes of the NHL, his dad realizes that’s a long shot for any child. “But as long as he has fun doing what he’s doing, the best you can hope for is maybe they go play junior hockey or something, get an education out of it, hopefully.”
“For being in his situation, he doesn’t skip a beat, doesn’t get nervous,” Matt’s mom adds. “You know it’s so exiting for where he is right now. If this is the end, he accomplished a lot.”
“Just watching him is so rewarding, knowing anyone can fight through anything.”
With files from John Sexsmith, Global News
Follow @TrishKozicka
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