Find Their Superpower: Reducing Stigma in Minor Hockey

This post is in honor of all parents. Parents who hurt when their kids hurts. But it is even more dedicated to parents whose kids don't fit the norms. Kids whose size or gender or ethnicity or social/developmental skills leave them a little outside the group.

In the world of minor hockey, every player brings something special to the team — but not every strength is measured in goals or assists. For some players, their superpower is sensory. For others, it's focus, memory, or even a unique way of seeing the game that others miss.

But difference can be misunderstood — and stigma thrives on what we don’t understand.

Stigma in minor hockey, especially for players who are neurodivergent or differently-abled, is real. It can show up in whispers, in benching, or in being left out of the locker room dynamic. It isolates kids who just want to be part of something — to be included, to contribute, to belong.

Changing the narrative starts with education.

When teammates understand why their peer might leave the room during a loud buzzer, or need clear routines to feel confident, something powerful happens: they start to care. They see strengths — not deficits.

I supported a young girl with autism to transition into regular classes. I would get up to close the door when I heard the furnace kick in. I knew the whine it made would trigger a reaction. One day when she wasn't there the kids asked why I did that. I told them she was like superman and had super hearing. She could hear things they didn't notice. The next day parents reported their kids came home talking about her super powers.

This is the key: help others see the superpowers that difference brings.

Inclusion in hockey doesn't mean forcing everyone to fit the same mold — it means celebrating what makes each kid unique, and finding ways to adapt the game so every player has a chance to thrive.

When coaches, parents, and teammates learn to "find the superpower," we not reduce stigma - the team works better together. We build teams that are not only stronger, but kinder. And we teach our kids that being different doesn’t make someone less — it might just make them the strongest of all.