Paralympic gold medalist speaks to school students in Des Plaines

Kevin McKee, who was on the USA Paralympic Sled Hockey team this year, visited Algonquin Middle School in Des Plaines last week.

Approximately 70 students and staff members attended the event to hear McKee, 24, talk about his disability and his athletic career.

McKee, who is from Davenport, Iowa, and has lived in Chicago for the past five years, told attendees that he began playing sled hockey when he was 10 years old and that he has been playing for 14 years now. He has played on the USA National Sled Hockey team for three years.

McKee said that his disability, called Caudal Regression Syndrome, means the bottom half of his spine is deformed and he has two dislocated hips, which confines him to a wheelchair and crutches.

To play sled hockey, athletes use two hockey sticks, with ice picks on one end, to handle the puck and propel themselves across the ice. He brought his sled, hockey sticks and jersey (No. 18) to show the students.

McKee competed in the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games, held in Sochi, Russia, from March 7 to 16. Team USA beat Russia 1-0 to win the gold medal. Team USA was the first sled hockey team to win back-to-back Paralympic gold medals.

McKee also spoke about how hard he works to keep in shape and eat right; the importance of students setting goals and working hard to achieve them; how to stay strong if you are being bullied and how to report bullying if it happens to you; and how students shouldn't give up when faced with adversity.