USA Hockey Magazine

AUGUST 2023 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 33 Summer Games in Tokyo that were delayed by pandemic concerns, Wallace's goal was put on the shelf because of an injury that forced him to undergo UCL replacement surgery on his left elbow, commonly referred to as Tommy John surgery. R e g a r d l e s s, Wa l l a c e r o a r e d b a c k stronger than ever to help the U.S. win its fourth straight sled hockey gold in Beijing, where the defenseman con- tributed three g oals and six assists. Now back to full strength, Wallace is looking to add another chapter to his athletic journal, something that few others, able-bodied or disabled, have ever accomplished. More than just hopefully punching his ticket to Paris, Wallace is adding to his already impressive athletic foundation that helps him on the ice. Not only has he noticed a difference in his strength and stamina brought out through his time in a kayak, but his teammates and coaches are equally impressed. " You can definitely see that his fit- ness level has gone up," Hoff points out. "He was very physically fit before, but you can see what the different training has done for him, and for us. It's made him a much better skater and someone who's very physically conditioned. He's better and better every year. A lot of that I attribute to what he's doing with us and what he's doing with them." It's not just the physical benefits of competing in multiple sports, Hoff says, but rather how it's impacted his mental approach to competing. "There's a mental toughness that comes w i t h c o m p et i n g i n a n i n d i v i d u a l s p o r t . That's one of the things that's been really good for Jack," Hoff says. Wallace faces some choppy waters on his way to Paris. Wallace is one of handful of paddlers looking to qualify for the Summer Paralympic Games. "Last year I finished in the top 10, and that's pretty much the criteria to qualify, to be top 10 in the world," he says. "I've been training a lot since then." To i m p r o v e h i s c h a n c e s, Wa l l a c e h a s enlisted the help of Australian Olympian Shelley Oates-Wilding, head coach of the USA Sprint Kayak Team, to help design a training program to push him across the finish line. His first test comes at the end of August in Duisberg, Germany, where he will com- pete at the 2023 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championship. A top-6 finish there could also qualify Wallace for the Paralympics. Even if things don't go Wallace's way in Germany, he will have another chance to grab a spot with a top-four finish at the World Cup next May in Hungary. Wallace has stayed in touch with his sled teammates even as his summer training continues to ramp up. And they certainly haven't forgotten about h i m , o f t e n p r e s s i n g f o r u p d a t e s o n h i s q u e st . I t 's w h a t m a k e s t h e U. S. S l e d Te a m a b a n d o f b r o t h e r s t h a t support each other on and off the ice. T h e r e f o r e , w h e n h e d i p s h i s o a r i n the water in Paris next summer, if he gets that far, Wallace will have a loyal following cheering him on. Even though some may have been concerned about how much his summer Pa r a l y m p i c p u s h w o u l d i m p a c t h i s on-ice game, Wallace has shown that he can handle the dual workload and come out even stronger because of it. " I w a s w o r r i e d a b o u t i t w h e n I started, and I think my coaches were a little bit concerned about me taking training time away from hockey and devoting to something else," he admits. "But it turns out it has enhanced my game and brought it to a new level that I didn't even think I could get to. At this point, I'm the fastest I've ever been. I have the best cardio I've ever had." "It's turned me into a much better player. I wasn't sure about it, but that's what my coaches and my teammates have told me. They've said that I've come into a new level of gameplay, and I felt really good about it. I'm happy that it's a net positive for both sports." P Jack Wallace shares what is in his gear bag. V I D E O " He was very physically fit before, but you can see what the different training has done for him, and for us. " — David Hoff, head coach of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team

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