Paralyzed Humboldt Broncos player Ryan Straschnitzki is on his hands and knees trying a skill he hasn鈥檛 had to practise for 18 years 鈥� how to crawl.

Straschnitzki, with the assistance of two physiotherapists, is being shown how to keep himself upright on his arms and how to move his legs forward, a few inches at a time.

鈥淚t鈥檚 almost like you鈥檙e restarting life again. Growing up, you learn to crawl before you learn to walk. You learn to walk before you learn to run and all of that. It鈥檚 baby steps,鈥� Straschnitzki, 19, told The Canadian Press in the midst of a recent sweat-soaked, one-hour workout.

鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to do, but I鈥檝e done it a few times. I鈥檓 a little better, but I鈥檝e still got lots to do.鈥�

With three full months of rehabilitation under his belt, Straschnitzki has been focusing on the future and not what might have been. He was paralyzed from the chest down when a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team and a semi-trailer collided in April in rural Saskatchewan.

Sixteen people were killed and 13 were injured.

鈥淓veryone struggles at some point in their life, but it鈥檚 how you overcome it that matters. I鈥檓 here now because I worked hard then,鈥� Straschnitzki said.

鈥淚 like to keep the positive mentality and hopefully walk again some day because of it. I鈥檓 here to inspire people and tell them it鈥檚 not over.鈥�

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Part of his enthusiasm comes from his long-term plan to be a member of Canada鈥檚 national sledge hockey team and get a shot at participating in the Winter Paralympic Games. In sledge hockey, players use double-blade sledges instead of skates that allow the puck to pass beneath. They have two sticks which have a spike-end for pushing and a blade-end for shooting.

He鈥檚 already been on the ice a number of times and is training for a fundraiser in Calgary next month.

鈥淚鈥檝e gotten stronger. I think I鈥檝e gotten bigger. Sledge hockey seems a lot more easier than it should be. It鈥檚 all thanks to these guys,鈥� he said.

鈥淚t makes me happy to be here knowing that I鈥檓 working toward a big goal of some day playing for Team Canada but, for now, I鈥檓 just having fun on the ice and enjoying my time here and working hard.鈥�

Straschnitzki underwent therapy at Foothills Hospital in Calgary before spending a month at the Shriners Hospital for Sick Children in Philadelphia.

He鈥檚 now put in another 30 days at a Calgary spinal cord injury rehabilitation centre.

鈥淚n the month that Ryan鈥檚 been here, probably one of the most substantial areas of improvement that we鈥檝e seen is in his core and his trunk stability. He can see it makes a big difference in his sledge hockey. He鈥檚 able to manoeuvre and control a bit better,鈥� said Uyen Nguyen, executive director and founder of Synaptic Spinal Cord Injury and Neuro Rehabilitation Centre.

鈥淚n neuro rehab, a month is actually not a whole lot of time, so for us to see any change or progress is really encouraging.鈥�

Nguyen said Straschnitzki was working hard at rehabilitation but, since he started playing sledge hockey, he鈥檚 stepped it up.

鈥淲hat I really admire and respect about Ryan is he doesn鈥檛 lament about what he鈥檚 lost,鈥� said Nguyen.

鈥淗e just looks forward to what he鈥檚 going to do and what he鈥檚 going to gain. Hockey as he knew it is behind him. That was a previous chapter and he鈥檚 ready to move on.鈥�

Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press

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