Articles about our athletes:
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Bethel Park's Kitterman embraces sporting life
Aug 19, 2021
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Bethel Park High School junior Brock Kitterman is in many ways a typical teenager.
He excels in his AP and honors classes with the hopes of one day being accepted in a college engineering program. His dream schools are Purdue and Penn State.
Kitterman also competes in triathlons during the warmer months of the year and ice hockey during the winter.
“I’m normal except I lack sight and hearing,” said the 16-year-old Kitterman.
At 12 weeks of age, Kitterman was diagnosed with Bilateral Retinoblastoma. The chemotherapy he received to treat the cancer damaged his hearing leaving him deaf as well as blind.
Kitterman said he was “very unlucky” because the cancer attacked both eyes. The disease usually only impacts one pupil. He said colors are perceived as a blur and shapes are ill-defined, while he is aware of objects, but only within a five-foot radius.
“I would never know if you were smiling at me or not. I can’t make out facial expressions or impressions,” he said. “Eliminates prejudices."
While his hearing loss was a side effect of the chemo, Kitterman contends he hears “decently” but has trouble distinguishing phonetic sounds like words with the letters S and T. High-pitch noises are inaudible and he hears musical instruments differently.
“I’m missing nothing nor am I jealous,” Kitterman said. “I just don’t see the world as well as everybody else does.
“It’s all I have ever known and I am at peace with it,” he continued. “I love my life for what it is. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Kitterman’s life is that of a seasoned athlete endeavoring to earn a spot in future Paralympic Games.
On Oct. 21, he will travel to Utica, N.Y., to participate in a blind hockey tournament and five-day training camp that will determine the U.S. Paralympic national hockey team.
“I would love to make the team as a reserve but I’m still very young and a minor to make a team that is made up of the 30 best players in the country,” Kitterman said.
Kitterman is hopeful blind hockey will be included in the 2026 Paralympic Games to be held in Milano, Italy. Two new teams and two new countries need to be added for inclusion in the games.
By 2028, Kitterman plans to compete in the Summer Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. He has the resume to support his spot in the triathlon event.
Kitterman has attended the USA Olympic Paralympic Training Center for VI triathlete training in Colorado as well as the training camp at the Olympic Training Center in Alabama.
In 2020, he was one of five members selected for the USA Triathlon and Challenged Athletes Foundation’s junior development program. The first-of-its-kind collaboration was designed to support aspiring para-triathletes, ages 12-17, with grant funding, coaching guidance, apparel and other development resources.
The training support fueled Kitterman’s success.
In 2019, he earned Para-triathlete All-America status and this summer, he defended his title at the USA Youth National Para Triathlon Championships held in Ohio. He is also the Mideast Regional Para Champion and the Northeast Regional Para Triathlon Champion. Additionally, he also finished fourth as an adult in the 2021 national championships held in California.
“Being the reigning champion and winning the race in Ohio again as well as the race in California have been my biggest highlights this year,” Kitterman said. “No matter how good or bad I did, it was just great to compete because I am very young and there is a lot of life left in me (for triathlons).
“Triathletes peak in their mid-30s,” Kitterman added. “That’s a lot longer than football and hockey. As long as I am physically able, I plan to do both sports.”
To train for triathlons, Kitterman chisels out multiple 30-minute workouts throughout his busy day. He sprints 3.1 miles, rides a bike trainer for 10 miles, swims a mile at the Spencer Family YMCA pool or in his inflatable backyard pool, performs a strength workout with resistance weights. Then he takes 30 hockey shots.
“Seven days a week, 365 days of the year,” Kitterman said of his workout routine.
Kitterman also follows a strict diet. “No sweets. No sugar. No soda,” he said. Once in a while, he’ll indulge in a little ice cream.
“It’s mainly fruits and vegetables. My mom is a good chef. She runs the best kitchen,” said the son of Tammy and Grant Kitterman.
Because of their visual impairment, triathletes like Kitterman are tethered to a guide during competitions. They also ride tandem bikes during the cycling portion because they are dependent upon them to steer and see where they are going.
“I have to really trust (my guide),” Kitterman said.
In hockey, Kitterman’s teammates must trust him and depend on his sight. Those with 10% or less vision are forwards, defenders’ blindness ranges from 5% completely blind and goalies are completely blind.
“We still find a way to blame him for a loss,” Kitterman laughed.
A left winger, Kitterman said he is a playmaker not a goal scorer.
“I make the pass," he said. "Others take the shots and I get credit for the scores.”
Kitterman’s primary responsibility on the ice is giving direction. He shouts out where the puck is on the ice for his visually impaired playmates.
“Communication is so important and playing hockey really helps me with communication,” Kitterman said.
Hockey and triathlons are complementary yet on the opposite ends of the spectrum. As a result, Kitterman enjoys both equally.
“It’s hard to pick which I prefer because they both have their pros and cons," he said. "A triathlon is very solo and individual thing while hockey incorporates the team aspect. I think I prefer that. But a triathlon helps with hockey especially because of the running and cycling and the endurance and speed needed, especially at the end of a shift.”
Whether performing on ice, in the water, on a bike or on the run, Kitterman sees himself as anybody else. He does not view his impairments, his blindness and hearing loss, as negatives.
“I’m just a modified me," he said "I will do all the things that you do, just differently."
He excels in his AP and honors classes with the hopes of one day being accepted in a college engineering program. His dream schools are Purdue and Penn State.
Kitterman also competes in triathlons during the warmer months of the year and ice hockey during the winter.
“I’m normal except I lack sight and hearing,” said the 16-year-old Kitterman.
At 12 weeks of age, Kitterman was diagnosed with Bilateral Retinoblastoma. The chemotherapy he received to treat the cancer damaged his hearing leaving him deaf as well as blind.
Kitterman said he was “very unlucky” because the cancer attacked both eyes. The disease usually only impacts one pupil. He said colors are perceived as a blur and shapes are ill-defined, while he is aware of objects, but only within a five-foot radius.
“I would never know if you were smiling at me or not. I can’t make out facial expressions or impressions,” he said. “Eliminates prejudices."
While his hearing loss was a side effect of the chemo, Kitterman contends he hears “decently” but has trouble distinguishing phonetic sounds like words with the letters S and T. High-pitch noises are inaudible and he hears musical instruments differently.
“I’m missing nothing nor am I jealous,” Kitterman said. “I just don’t see the world as well as everybody else does.
“It’s all I have ever known and I am at peace with it,” he continued. “I love my life for what it is. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Kitterman’s life is that of a seasoned athlete endeavoring to earn a spot in future Paralympic Games.
On Oct. 21, he will travel to Utica, N.Y., to participate in a blind hockey tournament and five-day training camp that will determine the U.S. Paralympic national hockey team.
“I would love to make the team as a reserve but I’m still very young and a minor to make a team that is made up of the 30 best players in the country,” Kitterman said.
Kitterman is hopeful blind hockey will be included in the 2026 Paralympic Games to be held in Milano, Italy. Two new teams and two new countries need to be added for inclusion in the games.
By 2028, Kitterman plans to compete in the Summer Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. He has the resume to support his spot in the triathlon event.
Kitterman has attended the USA Olympic Paralympic Training Center for VI triathlete training in Colorado as well as the training camp at the Olympic Training Center in Alabama.
In 2020, he was one of five members selected for the USA Triathlon and Challenged Athletes Foundation’s junior development program. The first-of-its-kind collaboration was designed to support aspiring para-triathletes, ages 12-17, with grant funding, coaching guidance, apparel and other development resources.
The training support fueled Kitterman’s success.
In 2019, he earned Para-triathlete All-America status and this summer, he defended his title at the USA Youth National Para Triathlon Championships held in Ohio. He is also the Mideast Regional Para Champion and the Northeast Regional Para Triathlon Champion. Additionally, he also finished fourth as an adult in the 2021 national championships held in California.
“Being the reigning champion and winning the race in Ohio again as well as the race in California have been my biggest highlights this year,” Kitterman said. “No matter how good or bad I did, it was just great to compete because I am very young and there is a lot of life left in me (for triathlons).
“Triathletes peak in their mid-30s,” Kitterman added. “That’s a lot longer than football and hockey. As long as I am physically able, I plan to do both sports.”
To train for triathlons, Kitterman chisels out multiple 30-minute workouts throughout his busy day. He sprints 3.1 miles, rides a bike trainer for 10 miles, swims a mile at the Spencer Family YMCA pool or in his inflatable backyard pool, performs a strength workout with resistance weights. Then he takes 30 hockey shots.
“Seven days a week, 365 days of the year,” Kitterman said of his workout routine.
Kitterman also follows a strict diet. “No sweets. No sugar. No soda,” he said. Once in a while, he’ll indulge in a little ice cream.
“It’s mainly fruits and vegetables. My mom is a good chef. She runs the best kitchen,” said the son of Tammy and Grant Kitterman.
Because of their visual impairment, triathletes like Kitterman are tethered to a guide during competitions. They also ride tandem bikes during the cycling portion because they are dependent upon them to steer and see where they are going.
“I have to really trust (my guide),” Kitterman said.
In hockey, Kitterman’s teammates must trust him and depend on his sight. Those with 10% or less vision are forwards, defenders’ blindness ranges from 5% completely blind and goalies are completely blind.
“We still find a way to blame him for a loss,” Kitterman laughed.
A left winger, Kitterman said he is a playmaker not a goal scorer.
“I make the pass," he said. "Others take the shots and I get credit for the scores.”
Kitterman’s primary responsibility on the ice is giving direction. He shouts out where the puck is on the ice for his visually impaired playmates.
“Communication is so important and playing hockey really helps me with communication,” Kitterman said.
Hockey and triathlons are complementary yet on the opposite ends of the spectrum. As a result, Kitterman enjoys both equally.
“It’s hard to pick which I prefer because they both have their pros and cons," he said. "A triathlon is very solo and individual thing while hockey incorporates the team aspect. I think I prefer that. But a triathlon helps with hockey especially because of the running and cycling and the endurance and speed needed, especially at the end of a shift.”
Whether performing on ice, in the water, on a bike or on the run, Kitterman sees himself as anybody else. He does not view his impairments, his blindness and hearing loss, as negatives.
“I’m just a modified me," he said "I will do all the things that you do, just differently."
Athletes from across the Northeast were at Twin Ponds East ice rink for the National Blind Hockey Northeast Regional Tournament Saturday.
Interview with TJ Stewart
Interview with TJ Stewart
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HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) –
“I had an ATV accident when I was nine and it left me totally blind,” said T.J. Stewart, a player from Connellsville who was at the tournament.
Being blind doesn’t stop the 23-year-old from playing the sport he loves. He’s a goalie, and he’s good.
Stewart is competing with players from Pittsburgh, New York, Washington D.C., Connecticut and Maine.
“It’s a big deal to get blind and visually impaired people to travel, so we wanted to make it as convenient as possible, so it’s kind of like a central location for everybody,” said Ted Caputo, the president of New York Metro Blind Hockey.
All of the athletes are legally blind. Their vision range determines their position on the ice. The people that are totally blind, they’re usually our goalies and then people with a little more sight are defense, and then people with more sight are offense,” said Caputo.
An adaptive hockey puck is significantly larger and louder than a typical hockey puck. “It’s a metal puck and it has eight ball bearings in it,” said Stewart. “The large size helps people who are visually impaired track it across the ice and the people with very limited sight, they go off the sound,” said Caputo.
Before you can shoot on the goalie, you have to make a pass. “When they make that pass, the referee will set off the pass whistle,” said Stewart. Communication is key in blind hockey. “They will be saying, ‘to your left, to your left, to your left,’ and that’s how he kind of tracks, along with the sound of the puck,” said Caputo.
Stewart encourages anyone with visual impairments to try the growing sport. “Even if you have a different disability, you can overcome anything as long as you try,” said Stewart.
Organizers say the goal is to get blind hockey recognized by the Paralympics by 2026.
“I had an ATV accident when I was nine and it left me totally blind,” said T.J. Stewart, a player from Connellsville who was at the tournament.
Being blind doesn’t stop the 23-year-old from playing the sport he loves. He’s a goalie, and he’s good.
Stewart is competing with players from Pittsburgh, New York, Washington D.C., Connecticut and Maine.
“It’s a big deal to get blind and visually impaired people to travel, so we wanted to make it as convenient as possible, so it’s kind of like a central location for everybody,” said Ted Caputo, the president of New York Metro Blind Hockey.
All of the athletes are legally blind. Their vision range determines their position on the ice. The people that are totally blind, they’re usually our goalies and then people with a little more sight are defense, and then people with more sight are offense,” said Caputo.
An adaptive hockey puck is significantly larger and louder than a typical hockey puck. “It’s a metal puck and it has eight ball bearings in it,” said Stewart. “The large size helps people who are visually impaired track it across the ice and the people with very limited sight, they go off the sound,” said Caputo.
Before you can shoot on the goalie, you have to make a pass. “When they make that pass, the referee will set off the pass whistle,” said Stewart. Communication is key in blind hockey. “They will be saying, ‘to your left, to your left, to your left,’ and that’s how he kind of tracks, along with the sound of the puck,” said Caputo.
Stewart encourages anyone with visual impairments to try the growing sport. “Even if you have a different disability, you can overcome anything as long as you try,” said Stewart.
Organizers say the goal is to get blind hockey recognized by the Paralympics by 2026.
Visually impaired hockey player is star on & off ice
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Close your eyes and imagine navigating through life without your sense of sight. Now imagine putting on a pair of ice skates and playing a game of hockey.
Adison Lemmon, 15, plays defense for the Pittsburgh Blind Hockey Team. "We're like a big family," she explained. "And we get each other through everything." Adison has a congenital eye anomaly called aniridia, which means her eyes are all pupil and no iris. On top of that, she has nystagmus, which are uncontrolled eye movements.
"I'm one of the luckier people who have better vision," she said. "So I don't rely on the sound of the puck as where it is. It's bigger, so I'm able to see it, compared to a regular puck on the ice, I cannot see that well."
For players who are more visually impaired, the puck makes noise. It's made of tin and filled with ball bearings.
"People who can't see it follow it with their ears," she said. "'OK, it's going that way, I've got to skate that way.'"
"They're just doing it for pure fun, just love of the game," said Grant Kitterman, the team's coach. "They're not out there to go pro or have aspirations. They're out there just to bond with their friends and just have a good time."
In February, on "Hockey is for Everyone" night, the Penguins invited Adison to be a junior starter. Before the puck drop, she skated to the blue line and met her favorite player, Kris Letang.
"It was probably one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had," she told us. "Just getting to go out there and being on the ice in front of everybody, just getting that chance to stand in front of the Pittsburgh Penguins, it was breathtaking just standing out there."
She's a star on and off the ice. The Latrobe Area sophomore is a straight-A student, taking science classes above her grade level, and she hopes to one day work in medicine. For now, she'll work on skating and stick handling.
"It allows her to be successful and be an athlete and do the things that a lot of times she was told that she never could do," said her mom, Stacy Lemmon.
"Someone will tell me, 'No, you can't do that because of your vision,' and I'm like, 'Watch me,'" Adison said.
Adison Lemmon, 15, plays defense for the Pittsburgh Blind Hockey Team. "We're like a big family," she explained. "And we get each other through everything." Adison has a congenital eye anomaly called aniridia, which means her eyes are all pupil and no iris. On top of that, she has nystagmus, which are uncontrolled eye movements.
"I'm one of the luckier people who have better vision," she said. "So I don't rely on the sound of the puck as where it is. It's bigger, so I'm able to see it, compared to a regular puck on the ice, I cannot see that well."
For players who are more visually impaired, the puck makes noise. It's made of tin and filled with ball bearings.
"People who can't see it follow it with their ears," she said. "'OK, it's going that way, I've got to skate that way.'"
"They're just doing it for pure fun, just love of the game," said Grant Kitterman, the team's coach. "They're not out there to go pro or have aspirations. They're out there just to bond with their friends and just have a good time."
In February, on "Hockey is for Everyone" night, the Penguins invited Adison to be a junior starter. Before the puck drop, she skated to the blue line and met her favorite player, Kris Letang.
"It was probably one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had," she told us. "Just getting to go out there and being on the ice in front of everybody, just getting that chance to stand in front of the Pittsburgh Penguins, it was breathtaking just standing out there."
She's a star on and off the ice. The Latrobe Area sophomore is a straight-A student, taking science classes above her grade level, and she hopes to one day work in medicine. For now, she'll work on skating and stick handling.
"It allows her to be successful and be an athlete and do the things that a lot of times she was told that she never could do," said her mom, Stacy Lemmon.
"Someone will tell me, 'No, you can't do that because of your vision,' and I'm like, 'Watch me,'" Adison said.
Brandon Wingard participates in Pittsburgh Blind Ice Hockey
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Brandon Wingard, a 7th grader at Seneca Valley School District, is participating in Blind Ice Hockey.
Blind Ice Hockey is the same exhilarating, fast-paced sport as Ice Hockey with only one main difference – all of the athletes are blind or visually impaired. The most significant modification is that the sport features an adapted puck that makes noise, and is both bigger and slower than a traditional puck. Athletes’ levels of vision range from legally blind to totally blind.
Robin Wingard, Brandon’s mother, was very nervous at first about Brandon playing hockey. With Brandon’s balance issues she didn’t know if he would able to skate without help. Within 30 minutes of getting on the ice and warming up, Brandon was skating on his own. “I am so proud of him,” says his mother through her tears. “He is so adventurous and will try anything. He amazes me.”
Robin believes that being in this Hockey League has helped her son. She tells us that “He still gets a bit nervous stepping on to the ice every time, but he keeps trying. Brandon is learning to skate, to stand up after falling, and is developing puck-handling skills. He is also learning how to communicate with other players on the ice.”
Jessica Sloan, Brandon’s vision and orientation mobility teacher, said: “I have known Brandon for many years and am so excited to see him get to experience playing hockey.” Ms. Sloan goes on to say “He is in the developmental program where he is learning the skills of hockey. I was unsure what to expect from this program, but after only a few practices Brandon was able to skate, participate in the skating drills, pass the puck with accuracy, block the puck from passing him, as well as shooting pucks into the goal!”
“I am so proud of Brandon for trying and succeeding at a new sport”, said Sloan. “He has a positive attitude, a great sense of humor, is an astounding athlete, and is an amazing kid!”
What does Brandon think of this? “This is cool!!” You can hear the excitement in Brandon’s voice when he talks about Ice Hockey. “We get great really cool Penguins (branded) equipment. The coaches and volunteers are nice to work with and we get to practice on the same ice as the Penguins. I like being on a team with other kids who are like me.”
Brandon, we are all very proud of you!! Keep up the good work!
Blind Ice Hockey is the same exhilarating, fast-paced sport as Ice Hockey with only one main difference – all of the athletes are blind or visually impaired. The most significant modification is that the sport features an adapted puck that makes noise, and is both bigger and slower than a traditional puck. Athletes’ levels of vision range from legally blind to totally blind.
Robin Wingard, Brandon’s mother, was very nervous at first about Brandon playing hockey. With Brandon’s balance issues she didn’t know if he would able to skate without help. Within 30 minutes of getting on the ice and warming up, Brandon was skating on his own. “I am so proud of him,” says his mother through her tears. “He is so adventurous and will try anything. He amazes me.”
Robin believes that being in this Hockey League has helped her son. She tells us that “He still gets a bit nervous stepping on to the ice every time, but he keeps trying. Brandon is learning to skate, to stand up after falling, and is developing puck-handling skills. He is also learning how to communicate with other players on the ice.”
Jessica Sloan, Brandon’s vision and orientation mobility teacher, said: “I have known Brandon for many years and am so excited to see him get to experience playing hockey.” Ms. Sloan goes on to say “He is in the developmental program where he is learning the skills of hockey. I was unsure what to expect from this program, but after only a few practices Brandon was able to skate, participate in the skating drills, pass the puck with accuracy, block the puck from passing him, as well as shooting pucks into the goal!”
“I am so proud of Brandon for trying and succeeding at a new sport”, said Sloan. “He has a positive attitude, a great sense of humor, is an astounding athlete, and is an amazing kid!”
What does Brandon think of this? “This is cool!!” You can hear the excitement in Brandon’s voice when he talks about Ice Hockey. “We get great really cool Penguins (branded) equipment. The coaches and volunteers are nice to work with and we get to practice on the same ice as the Penguins. I like being on a team with other kids who are like me.”
Brandon, we are all very proud of you!! Keep up the good work!
