“I enjoy how we practice and enjoy the game,” Carroll, 20, said after coming off the ice, a big smile behind his helmet's face shield. She said, “I love all the other sports, but… [but] Hockey is more fun. ”
Carroll's mother, Sue Carroll, said playing for the Jambos was a “dream come true” and said he wouldn't have had the same level of support in a traditional team.
“He's doing what he enjoys, what he likes, what he's passionate about,” she says.
Coach Ray LeBlanc founded the Jambos in 2007 in part because of his son Shane, who is on the autism spectrum. He said the squad has grown to more than 60 players over the past 20 years, including Shane, now 31 and one of only two players to have been with the Jambos since its inception. It is said that it will be done.
“For a lot of kids, this is like a really important part of their lives,” LeBlanc said. “Some of the kids have developed really great friendships with each other that they probably didn't have before.”
Members are divided into three teams based on skill level and direct support needed. During the season, the Jumbos meet weekly for practice, sometimes skirmishing with local college teams such as Boston University and Tufts University. LeBlanc said Jumbos loves competing alongside such skilled players at the prestigious rink.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1 in 36 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, which can affect socialization, communication, and behavior. And the reported prevalence has increased in recent decades, from about 1 in 150 children diagnosed with the disease in 2000.
April is Autism Inclusion Month, when medical professionals and advocates seek to educate the public about autism. A growing number of adults with autism are becoming eligible for adult services through the Department of Developmental Services at age 22 in Massachusetts.
LeBlanc said the transition to adulthood and leaving school-age support programs can be daunting for young people with autism and their families, but Jambos provides players with support beyond childhood. He said he aims to provide a network.
That's why Jumbo will be honored at Teamsters Local 25's Autism Gala on April 27 at the Boston Convention Center.
Early Sunday morning, coach Paul Scarnici gave a “chalk talk” to about a dozen teammates, who were sitting in a cubicle in the locker room and watching Scarnici write out practice drills on a linked dry-erase board. led the session. He pointed to one side of the rink.
“What do you call it? “–” asked Sukarnic, but the answer was partially interrupted.
“Defense zone!” Several voices were heard. The coach nodded and made a mark on the whiteboard.
Skalnic, who lives in Franklin and has a son on the team, said he has helped coach the Jambos for about eight years. He said chalk talk is a new addition that helps players visualize new strategies.
“I hope they understand that and bring it to the ice,” he said, stopping to help a young player tie his skates. “It's rewarding to see any of them do something any time during a game where you know they're practicing. It puts a big smile on the coaches' faces. I gave him a high five.”
Sunday's practice was the penultimate of the season, which concludes with a special annual international hockey tournament in Rockland at the end of the month. Some jumbos glided across the ice with more grace than others, but the jumbos seemed to share a common enthusiasm.
“You don't have to be a great player, you just have to work hard,” Jumbos player Jenna Markow said. “That's the team atmosphere: It's no big deal if you fall down, just get back up.”
Markoe works at the supermarket during the week, running the team's social media and helping with product design. He played street hockey and high school hockey many years ago, so She said the Jambos are the best team she's ever been on.
“That's been one of the constants throughout my life,” Markow said. “You always have [the] jumbo. ”
Daniel Kool can be reached at daniel.kool@globe.com.follow him @dekool01.
