Lipsett announces Para Ice Hockey comeback

Published: February 6, 2017
Lipsett announces Para Ice Hockey comeback

FORNEY, Texas — Almost exactly three years to the date, Taylor Lipsett was surrounded by friends and family as he prepared to depart for the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, where he would compete with the United States National Sled Hockey Team to achieve back-to-back gold medals — the first team to do so in the Paralympics.

FORNEY, Texas — Almost exactly three years to the date, Taylor Lipsett was surrounded by friends and family as he prepared to depart for the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, where he would compete with the United States National Sled Hockey Team to achieve back-to-back gold medals — the first team to do so in the Paralympics.

A significant shoulder injury led to Lipsett announcing his retirement in June 2014 just months after returning from Sochi.

Upon announcing his retirement from the international para ice hockey scene, Lipsett said he had other things in life he wanted to accomplish and, in olympic fashion, he did — welcoming his first child, Mila, with wife Kathleen in 2015, achieving a long sought-after promotion, and finishing his MBA.

“The one thing that never sat well with me was ending my career in the stands,” Lipsett told inForney.com.

So, earlier this week, Lipsett announced his comeback to the international para ice hockey scene via Twitter by stating,"I'm coming out of retirement to try out for the 2018 US Paralympic Sled Hockey Team!"

“I had continued playing club hockey with the local Dallas Sled Stars team and thought maybe I would take it up a notch to see how my body responded. I started working out a little on my own last fall, saw some good progress, and dropped 20 pounds relatively quick,” he said. “This confirmed to me that I could get my body back where it needed to be to compete at the international level again.”

Preparing for an international comeback won't be easy, says Lipsett, but with support from his wife, family, work, and his agent, Lipsett says he feels the fire and excitement again to return to the gym and rink to train.

“The U.S. Sled Team has only lost 1 game since 2014 and currently holds 6 International Titles including the Paralympic and World Championship titles,” he said. “Needless to say they are pretty good, so I will have to be in the best shape of my life to make the roster.”

Lipsett says he needed someone to push him in training to get his body back into 2010 Paralympic Game condition when he led Team USA in goals. He found that someone in Hunter Clark at Adaptive Training Foundation of Dallas, Texas.

The Adaptive Training Foundation, a non-profit organization established by former NFL player David Vobora, trains adaptive athletes, wounded veterans, and others who suffered life-altering injuries.

“In just 3 weeks I have made huge strides in my overall physical fitness and I am excited to see how my body responds over the coming months,” stated Lipsett.

In addition to his training at Adaptive Training Foundation, Lipsett also trains on his own a couple times a week as well as a one training session per week on the ice.

“As we get closer to tryouts, which are in July 2017, we will alter the training regimen accordingly and focus more on on-ice conditioning and being in game shape,” he said.

Lipsett says competing with the Dallas Sled Stars will help gauge his progress and help dial in his training.

The Dallas Sled Stars took on the Nashville Sled Preds in a four-game series over the past weekend with Lipsett leading the team in goals — scoring twice in Game 1, twice in Game 2 with an additional shootout goal, and once in Game 3. The Dallas Sled Stars will compete in tournaments during the first week of March in Minnesota and the first week in April in San Jose, California.

To follow the Dallas Sled Stars, visit their Facebook Page, here, or their Twitter, here.

Follow Lipsett and his comeback journey on Twitter, here.