Troy Taylor, co-owner of Blue Line Hockey Development and former POLC/GELC Executive Committee member,
accepts a $2,000 donation for the 2024 Michigan Special Hockey Clinic from POLC Director Jim Stachowski (right).
By Jennifer Gomori, POJ Editor
The Police Officers Labor Council (POLC) was recognized for their commitment to supporting Michigan Special Hockey Clinic since the clinic’s inception 3 years ago.
This year the POLC donated $2,000 to help fund the clinic that brings together special needs hockey players of all ages from around the U.S. This year’s event will be held 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 11, 2024 at St. Clair Shores Civic Arena, 20000 Stephens St., St. Clair Shores, MI.
“We have 50 athletes coming into town from all over Ohio, west Michigan, and northern Detroit and the POLC has been a supporter of that event the last 3 years,” said event organizer Troy Taylor, a recently retired POLC/GELC Executive Committee member.
Taylor thanked the Police Officers Labor Council as one of the event’s steadfast major sponsors in a post on his company’s Facebook page. Taylor, a retired Oak Park Department of Public Safety Lieutenant, and his brother, Tom Taylor, a Grosse Pointe Park Public Safety Officer, started Blue Line Hockey Development, based out of St. Clair Shores, 3 years ago to provide youth hockey development, clinics, camps and private and semi-private training.
“We run camps and clinics for youth hockey skills sessions, inclusive in special needs. The majority of what we do is able-bodied, able-minded youth,” Taylor said.
The Taylor brothers grew up playing hockey, continuing their love of the sport as college athletes. Their dad, Frank Taylor, wanted their younger special needs brother, Trevor, to experience the same joy of playing hockey, but couldn’t find a league for him to participate in when he was a child.
“I have a brother who is 36 years old who was born with Down syndrome,” he said. “We’ve been a hockey family our entire lives. My dad said, ‘Why isn’t my youngest son afforded the same opportunities as my older sons?’”
Frank decided to do something about that while his boys were still young. He taught Trevor to ice skate and got to work organizing the Michigan Flyers, a co-ed hockey team for developmentally or physically challenged athletes of all ages from various counties in southeast Michigan. Frank Taylor is coach and manager the Michigan Flyers, which he started some 30 years ago. The Flyers are affiliated with the St. Clair Shores Hockey Association and included as part of their 501(c)(3) status.
“He got it started with just a few athletes,” Troy Taylor said. “Now there are 40 athletes on his Michigan Flyers team.”
As co-owners of Blue Line Hockey Development, the older Taylor brothers strive to continue their father and Trevor’s legacy, partnering with the American Special Hockey Association to run the Michigan Special Hockey Clinic. “Our parents are getting older. They put a lot of time and effort into us and our careers,” he said. “We said, ‘Let’s do something that will make them proud.’”
“I took over as President of American Special Hockey Association in July, which is based out of New York,” Taylor said. “There’s 160 special hockey teams across the nation with over 8,000 special hockey athletes. We sanction over 25 events across the nation for special needs hockey players.”
Visitors are encouraged to come to the Michigan Special Hockey Clinic. The event to free to all spectators and participating athletes.
“I encourage able-bodied athletes to show up for the clinic and to see how appreciative these athletes are to participate in something others may take for granted,” Taylor said. “I would like Union officers or other members of the POLC to come by and see how their dues money is being spent for good use in philanthropy.”
Click on the link below for the Michigan Special Hockey Clinic Flyer with more details.
Click here for more about Blue Line Hockey Development and click here to learn more about the Michigan Flyers.
