Mikel McIver, pictured, has been the Red Deer Rebels Dressing Room Attendant for over 20 years. (Cam Moon)

By Troy Gillard and Josh Hall

#ROCKYOURHKYSOCKS

Rebels to wear mismatched socks for World Down Syndrome Day

Mar 20, 2021 | 12:17 PM

The Red Deer Rebels’ attire will look a little different Sunday when they take on the Edmonton Oil Kings.

In recognition of World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), which is held March 21 because Down Syndrome is caused by the triplication of the 21st chromosome, players will wear mismatched socks.

The act comes as the HEROS Hockey ‘Super HEROS’ program is expanding its presence to the Red Deer area.

“Dating back to 2000, we’ve provided 24 programs across the country making sure financial and social barriers aren’t a reason kids don’t have access to the game of hockey,” explains Kevin Hodgson, HEROS executive director. “In 2018, we discovered that there was nowhere in western Canada for aspiring players living with cognitive or physical challenges to play the game.”

The organization started off with teams in Calgary, Edmonton and Regina before stretching its arms. It would like to bring a Super HEROS team to Red Deer in the near future.

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Last year, HEROS brought a number of its players from Calgary and Edmonton to Red Deer to spend time with one of their first financial supporters, the Sutter family.

The pandemic then took hold and didn’t allow for certain plans to progress. Now there’s light at the end of the tunnel, the ideas are once again flowing.

“The last couple years, we’ve been wearing mismatched socks during our ice times, just for fun. A couple kids asked if we could see if other teams would do it with us, so we came up with ‘Rock Your Hockey Socks,'” Hodgson says. “Between the Sutters, including Chris Sutter, and what Mikel McIver means to the Red Deer Rebels and the hockey community there, it wasn’t a surprise the Rebels were interested in taking part.”

Long-time Red Deer Rebels Dressing Room Attendant, Mikel McIver, with former Red Deer Rebels goaltender Cam Ward, during the latter’s time with the NHL”s Chicago Blackhawks. (Cam Moon)

Socks have a special significance within the Down Syndrome community, Hodgson shares, because they resemble a pair of chromosomes. ‘Rock Your Hockey Socks’ is an adaptation of a long-standing WDSD tradition of wearing mismatched socks.

“It doesn’t matter if two socks are different or go with your clothes, because at the end of the day, they’re socks, they work and they’re beautiful,” he says. “When we talk about our amazing athletes with Down Syndrome, yeah, there are things that are different about them compared to their peers, but there are a lot of similarities; they love playing hockey, being athletes, teammates and being involved in what sport can do.”

“We just want to make sure everyone who wants a chance to play gets the chance to play,” Hodgson concludes.

For more information on what HEROS may be doing in your community, visit heroshockey.com.

This Sunday, for World Down Syndrome Day, show off your mismatched socks on social media by using #RockYourHkySocks.

Sunday’s Rebels vs. Oil Kings tilt gets going at 6 p.m. The broadcast can be heard starting at 5:50 on 106.7 REWIND Radio, or you can watch on WHL Live.