WOOSTER, Ohio — “I wanna go fast,” Ricky Bobby (as played by Will Farrell) declared in the film “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.” Casey Followay knows just how he feels.

The track and field sprinter was looking for something to do in the offseason when he discovered sled hockey.

“I fell in love with it,” Followay said with a smile. “I like going fast.”

Followay, who was born with Spina Bifida, was introduced to sled hockey through Adaptive Sports Ohio. Adaptive Sports looks to help people with disabilities across Ohio, particularly in Northeast Ohio, have a chance to participate in sports.

According to the USA Hockey website, “Sled hockey follows most of the typical ice hockey rules with the exception of some of the equipment. Players sit in specially designed sleds that sit on top of two hockey skate blades. There are two sticks for each player, instead of one, and the sticks have metal picks on the butt end for players to propel themselves.”

Followay said that sports changed his life for the better.

“(Sports) completely changed my outlook on life,” he said. “I always felt like an outcast at recess and gym class when my friends were out playing games, but then I found a way to compete.”

He elaborated further about the difficulties he faced and the attitude many people have towards athletes with disabilities.

“The thing that a lot of people think is that when they are disabled, they can’t play, they can’t compete and that is just not true,” Followay said. “We always invite people out to play and tell them ‘Don’t knock it till you try it.’ It takes some persuading but once they are out there on the ice, they understand and then they are hooked.”

As a sprinter, the 24-year-old Followay competes in the 100m, 200m and 400m events. And he races everywhere he can. In high school, he was the first wheelchair racer in Ohio High School Athletic Association history to compete as part of his high school’s varsity track team.

While he has a self-professed love of speed, Followay also enjoys the freedom that can be found from just being on the road. In between track and field and sled hockey seasons, he does a lot of long distance. He shared that he recently completed a half marathon in Columbus. He didn’t so much complete it as he won it. Not a bad way to come out in your first half marathon!

Right now, his focus is on the ice.

“We practice as a full team once a week and then have one or two tournaments a month,” Followay said. “My current goal is to represent the United States at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, on the track.”

If you’re interested in catching Followay and the team in action, you can find a schedule at https://adaptivesportsohio.org/calendar.

Adaptive Sports sponsors a number of different sports opportunities for athletes. To play or volunteer, visit https://adaptivesportsohio.org.

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