Canadian sledge hockey team holds training camp in Bedford, N.S.

HALIFAX – Canada’s national sledge hockey team is holding its training camp this week at the BMO Centre in Bedford, N.S.

Watching team captain Greg Westlake drive the picks of his sticks to power his way down the ice before whipping a shot past the goaltender is an impressive demonstration of the players’ strength and overall conditioning.

Westlake is an 11-year veteran of the team. The Toronto native is enjoying the week-long camp in the Halifax area.

“We have a pretty good history on the east coast in general,” he said. “We did a couple of tournaments in Charlottetown and the fan support here was awesome.

“Whether we’re in Charlottetown, Halifax and anywhere in between, everyone treats us so well.”

Darren Cossar, the executive director of Hockey Nova Scotia, says the organization is proud to have the team in town.

“We’ve had a sledge hockey program here that’s been operational for about five years now, and these guys are the role models,” he said. “They’re the best in the world.”

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Last season. Canada won gold at the World Sledge Hockey Championship in April in South Korea.

There are 22 players at the tryout camp, including Billy Bridges of Summerside. He’s entering his 16th season with the national team, but says it hasn’t tired him out yet.

“We have such a great group of young guys that you know it keeps it fresh, and it’s just so much fun playing the game that you love as a Canadian.”

With the Paralympics coming up in Sochi, Russia in March, Bridges is even more excited about this season.

“We’re pretty jacked to get to where we want to be and get to Sochi in the best shape we possibly can,” he said.

The games aren’t too rough during the camp, but do get physical when the puck drops for real.

“The games are full-contact and I think that’s one our best selling points,” said Westlake.

Canada finished fourth at the Vancouver Paralympics in 2010 and the team is hoping for a better result after the golden performance at the World Championship.

“Just being able to go to the games and say that you represented Canada is something very special in its own right,” said Westlake. He and Bridges both said the Russian team will be tough to beat on its home ice.

Local players will get a chance to pick up a few pointers from the national team when they all take the ice Friday night from 6-7 p.m. at the BMO Centre.