The Camrose Canines Blind Hockey team returned home to Camrose, Alberta, on March 23, 2026, after playing in a major national tournament in Toronto. The team participated in the 12th Annual Canadian National Blind Hockey Tournament held at the Mattamy Athletic Centre from March 20 to March 22, 2026.
This trip marked a milestone for the local organization, which is currently in its first season. Hans Thygesen, who has a vision condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa, started the team in October 2025 to give people with vision loss a chance to play the sport and build community ties.
The event, organized by the Canadian Blind Hockey Association, featured 25 games across six different divisions. Competition included categories for children and youth, as well as an open division for adults and a specialized category for players with low vision.
For the first time, the tournament included a three-team international series where Canada faced off against the United States and a group of players from Finland and England called Team World. The Alberta Sports & Recreation Association for the Blind supports local programs like the Canines to help athletes prepare for these high-level national competitions.
The tournament was free for the public to attend and was presented by the CNIB Foundation. Organizers used the event to highlight accessibility in adaptive sports, using modified equipment like steel pucks that make noise so players can hear them on the ice.
