The Hockey Show - Episode 608

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, takes a break from the shores of Survivor: NHL Playoffs island and dives into an important day. Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day where everyone should be talking, thinking, and learning about digital access and inclusion and people with different disabilities. This show preview, for example, doesn't have an audio tool to allow blind people to read the words on the screen, and it's something I'll be investigating today and moving forward. Because today is GAAD, The Hockey Show also realized we need a little more access and inclusion in hockey, and we're excited to speak to someone who is doing incredible things on that front tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason are excited to speak with the man to the left, Mr. Mark DeMontis, who is one of three finalists for the 2024 Willie O'Ree Award! Mark's name probably isn't a household name, but we intend to make it one as Mark lost his vision at 17, ending his NCAA and his NHL dreams. Mark's determination to make things better after meeting one of his heroes has shown up in spades as he founded a non-profit called Courage Canada which became the Canadian Blind Hockey Association! From there, Mark's life has been a whirlwind of activity in his efforts and advocating for visually-impaired and blind people, and we'll talk to him about how life changed, winning medals, hosting the biggest tournament of its kind, the evolution and growth of the sport of Blind Hockey, and much more! We are excited to speak to Mark on Global Accessibility Awareness Day about all the cool stuff he's doing tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via UMFM.com!

Before we get to our usual paragraphs of how to listen, you can actually help Mark win Willie O'Ree Award this year! Voting is open until May 19 so you'll have to act fast, but head over to the Willie O'Ree Award page on NHL.com and click the vote button! There's no sign-ups or costs or anything, and you don't have to sign up for the newsletters. Every vote counts, though, so let's help Mark win the award this year because he has done some rather incredible stuff to help blind hockey players get back on the ice!

If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The new UMFM website's online streaming player works well if you want to listen online. We also recommend Radio Garden if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you use the TuneIn app found on the App Store or Google Play Store. It's a solid app.

If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to hockeyshow@umfm.com! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason chat with Mark DeMontis, 2024 Willie O'Ree Award finalist, about life, navigating life without sight, playing hockey, growing the game, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: May 16, 2024: Episode 608

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!