A YOUNG CANADIAN WITH COMMITMENT OVERDRIVE
Summer Paralympian hoping to represent his country at winter competition too
Most Olympians and Paralympians think, dream, train and compete in four-year cycles, but Liam Hickey has a different idea.
The 19-year-old from St. John’s ended his Paralympic debut by rolling off the wheelchair basketball court in Rio de Janeiro on Sept. 14, 2016. If all goes well at a selection camp in Calgary this week, he’ll be sliding onto the ice for the national sledge hockey team in early March in PyeongChang. That would make it just 18 months between Paralympics performances.
“Rio was a crazy experience,” he said last week. “That being my first (Paralympics), it opened my eyes to what it was all about — the opening and closing ceremonies, the games and the crowd it draws — it made me more excited to play in the next Paralympics as soon as possible.
“To get the chance to do that, hopefully, with sledge hockey, I can’t wait.”
Hickey has already spent a year with the national sledge team, punctuating his audition with a goal in the 4-1 gold medal win over the U.S. at the world championships in April. He scored two more on Tuesday during a 2-0 exhibition win over South Korea in Calgary.
He’s the rare athlete with enough skill to play two sports at the highest level. It’s a juggling act that also requires constant commitment and sacrifice.
“Some of it has been really overwhelming, when it comes to always being in competition mode, and not really having any down time to relax your mind and body. I’m learning a lot through the process.”
He’s had the support of coaches in both programs, and an excellent role model in sledge hockey teammate Brad Bowden. The 34-year-old Bowden, from Orton, Ont., won Paralympics gold with the hoops team in 2004 and bronze with the sledge hockey team at Sochi a decade later. He’s also at the selection camp in Calgary, and Hickey has relied on Bowden for guidance.
“He’s been a huge mentor for me,” Hickey said.
“I’ve gone to him a lot. Many phone calls just sorting things out. Brad is a great guy and a great leader. It’s awesome to have somebody like him on the team.”
Bowden urged Hickey to pursue both sports — but to be aware there is a toll.
“I said, ‘you’re going to get burnt out and when you do, you have to be honest with your coaches, because they need to know what you’re going through,’” Bowden said. “For one national team, it’s hard enough, and I’m not saying it’s horrible, but it is demanding. Both these national teams have high expectations of everyone.
“He’s grinding away for two different sports, working muscles for two different sports and learning skills for two different sports. He’s putting in twice the work.”
There is considerable travel and time away from family and friends, too. Before the Rio Games, the hoops team was centralized for most of the summer. If he makes the sledge team, much of the winter will be spent with the team.
And even during an off-season stretch in Newfoundland, a typical week sees him in the gym, on the court and on the ice every day but Sunday. Hickey said the commitment seemed like more of a sacrifice during high school, but he has yet to pursue postsecondary education.
“Honestly, yes, I can see it getting too difficult to play both sports, with the amount of commitment it takes even in the off-season. I’m definitely going to see how far I can take it, though. Who knows, maybe I can play both for the rest of my career. But it’s going to be tough.”
Bowden had some advice for the day when it gets too tough.
“In the end, pick the one that you don’t mind getting up at five in the morning to play and practise for. Pick the one where the work is fun.”
Hickey, whose first love is hockey, has already had to make choices. While he prepared for the Calgary sledge camp, his former hoops teammates were in Colombia, qualifying for the 2018 worlds.
“Right now it’s 100 per cent hockey. That’s all I’m focused on,” he said. “I, as well as everybody in the national team program, wants to win that gold in PyeongChang.”
But there are friends on the hoops team and unfinished basketball business calling him back. Canada went 1-5 in Rio to finish 11th in a 12-team tournament, a result that still stings.
Then there is the honour of wearing both jerseys.
“There are times when it kind of hits me and I do realize how lucky I am to do it,” Hickey said. “To play on two national teams is an amazing feeling and I don’t take it for granted, that’s for sure.”
He’s grinding away for two different sports, working muscles for two different sports and learning skills for two different sports.