Islanders Prospects Share the Ice with Special Olympics New York

Nine-year-old Emerson doesn’t usually like new things.

But on Tuesday, after watching New York Islanders Development Camp, all it took was a warm welcome from Isles prospects for him to lace up a pair of skates for the very first time.

Wearing a helmet and a pair of skates, Emerson was supported by Tomas Poletin and Gleb Veremyev as they guided him around the ice. Soon enough, he was smiling, laughing and enjoying every moment as his mom, Dena Civello, watched in the stands.

“He’s usually not into doing new things. It’s scary for him, a lot of times he’s reluctant,” said Civello. “But when we walked in and the way everyone greeted him, he was comfortable and sensed the welcoming energy. He came right in, put his skates on, and had so much fun today.”

Poletin spent quality time with Emerson, skating him around the rink and lending him a stick to play with by the net. Veremyev provided some extra fun by lifting up the nine-year-old and spinning him in circles.

“It’s always great to give back to the fans and especially to these kids, it's not as easy for them as it is for us,” Poletin said. “It’s always great to help them with anything.”

Emerson was one of more than 20 children from Special Olympics New York who joined Islanders prospects on the ice after the second day of development camp practices. The children, ranging in age from six to 15 and with varying skating abilities, spent time with Isles prospects around the rink. Some raced around confidently on their own, while others leaned on blue skating aids with players by their side. 

“It's a chance for us to slow down a little bit and kind of realize why we do it,” Danny Nelson said. “It’s cool for people who come to games to be with us and have that experience. It was awesome.”

While helping the kids around the rink, the prospects also bonded over popular dances and social media trends, including the “six seven.”

“We were doing trends and stuff like that with some of the kids, it was funny,” Veremyev said. “Just putting a smile on their face and getting away from all the seriousness, just being a child again.”

Rebecca Moran was thrilled to watch her three kids, Oliver, Ashton and Jeremy, enjoy themselves on the ice. They love to be active – they often skate in the winter and swim in the summer – but having one-on-one attention from the players made the experience especially memorable.

“This is such a great opportunity for them to have one-on-one time with athletes,” Moran said. “All the parents here felt assured that the kids would be taken care of on the ice, and have fun. Not just handling them skating-wise, but behaviorally.”

For the players, it was a full circle moment, serving as a reminder that they were once kids looking up to pro athletes in awe. Their main goal was to give them a memorable experience.

“I remember being a little kid myself, anytime you’re able to get on the ice with older kids or people you look up to, it’s really cool,” Veremyev said. “Perhaps they’ll go to bed thinking about it, I know I did. Hopefully we gave them a good experience to take away from.”

For Emerson, a day that began with uncertainty ended with smiles, laughter and a first skating experience he’ll never forget.

“It’s really heartwarming to see these professionals be here for our kids,” Civello said. “To be welcomed by everybody here, it means a lot to our community.”