Red Wings, Gallagher help spread ‘happiness, hope and a little bit of fun’ for Special Olympics Michigan athletes 

DETROIT -- The smiles and laughter seen and heard throughout the Via concourse inside Little Caesars Arena on Friday afternoon was a good reminder that hockey is more than just a game; it can be a tool used to build a more inclusive community.

Thanks to the Detroit Red Wings and Gallagher, 100 local Special Olympics Michigan poly hockey athletes participated in a hockey skills clinic led by Alex DeBrincat, J.T. Compher, Albert Johansson, Justin Holl, Tyler Motte, Erik Gustafsson, Marco Kasper and goalie Cam Talbot.

“It’s a lot of fun,” DeBrincat said. “You come out here, see everyone having fun and playing hockey. You’re getting back to the basics of shooting, passing and all that stuff so it’s great to be around these guys.”

Special Olympics Michigan has been part of the Special Olympics movement since its start in 1968. Guided by an important mission to provide year-round sports training and related programming for individuals with disabilities, Special Olympics Michigan helps athletes achieve their dreams with the support of volunteers, coaches, family members and staff.

“Sports play such a prominent role in our lives and obviously our careers,” Motte said. “Hockey means a lot to us, so just to be able to give back in a way that we know how. This group really enjoyed their time playing hockey today, and just a cool experience for us to be on a different side of things by looking at a different perspective. Just give some happiness, hope and a little bit of fun.”

For Michigan natives DeBrincat (Farmington Hills) and Motte (St. Clair), taking time out of their afternoons to assist the state-based non-profit organization was truly meaningful.

“It’s important to get out in the community,” DeBrincat said. “Very special. At my station, [the poly hockey players] were trying to score goals. They were ripping pucks.”

Before the hockey skills clinic, the Special Olympics Michigan athletes also enjoyed a Little Caesars pizza party and watched the Red Wings practice at Little Caesars Arena's BELFOR Training Center.

Holl said as a professional athlete, he feels he has a great opportunity to make a positive impact and was very happy to do so after Friday’s practice.

“When you’re a public figure, those are some of the things you should be aware of,” Holl said. “You just try to use your platform to encourage people to have fun in sports."

Special Olympics Michigan athlete Scott Decker said he was excited to show off his skills to the group of Red Wings players on Friday afternoon.

“I needed the practice,” said Decker, who plays for the Grosse Point/Harper Woods Hawks poly hockey team. "Got to get ready for our season. We’ve won back-to-back championships, so we’re going for a three-peat this year. It hasn’t been done in the history of our franchise, so it would be nice.”

Decker added that the advice he received from Detroit captain Dylan Larkin during last year’s event really helped him this time around.

“He told me to always be a team player and a team leader,” Decker said. “And, most importantly, snipe that puck.”

Gallagher also provided a donation for Special Olympics Michigan poly hockey athletes at the end of Friday’s event, which marked the first of two such celebrations the Red Wings will put on this year.

“This is a fun event,” Holl said. “It kind of brings you back to hockey when you were a kid, when you’re playing a lot of pond hockey or knee hockey and just shooting pucks and having a good time. That’s what this means to me, and it’s fun to be able to do it with all these guys.”