Military Veterans Hockey Team Takes the Ice in Novi

Military Veterans Hockey Team Takes the Ice in Novi

Competitive sports can help recovery from Traumatic Brain Injuries

NOVI, MI, Sept. XX —   Some tough new competition is taking the ice in the Novi Men’s Hockey League for the 2017-‘18 season.

The Lightning, a new team comprised solely of military veterans and their family members, will be calling the Novi Suburban Ice Arena home ice for its 26-game hockey season and half a dozen exhibition games.  In addition to the Novi men’s D league, the team is expecting tough competition from similarly organized teams throughout the Midwest.

The Lightning is sponsored by Novi-based Center for Neurological Studies (CNS), developer of advanced MRI techniques for the detection of the kind of mild to moderate traumatic brain injuries often the result of battle related injuries.  CNS has been helping veterans to diagnose and overcome these injuries since the company was founded in 2011 and is initiating an in-depth “Hope After Combat” research project to improve brain injury diagnosis and treatment for military veterans.

“Sports activities are generally a beneficial outlet for anyone who’s suffered a traumatic brain injury,” says Dr. Randall Benson, Medical Director of CNS.  “It gives them a chance to be with other veterans who may be going through some of the same struggles they are, the ‘invisible wounds’ of battle.”

“Veterans will sometimes talk to other veterans more than to civilians about their military experiences,” says Rick Briggs, USAF Ret., General Manager of the Lightning.  “The hockey team environment gives them someone else to talk to and helps build trust and camaraderie, not only on the team, but with their fellow veterans in their communities.”

Members of the new Lightning team are all local area residents, most of whom have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.  “Most of them know someone who is dealing with Invisible Wounds or they have felt the impact themselves,” says John Russell, CEO and Founder of CNS.  “The hockey team is part of an advocacy and awareness program we’ve initiated to let veterans who may have suffered traumatic brain injuries or PTSD know that they’re not alone, and that the CNS Hope After Combat program is open and available to them.”

The Lightening’s next game will be Sept. 24 at 8:45 p.m. at the Novi rink.  Admission is free and open to the public.

For further information on Center for Neurological Studies, the Hope After Combat program or the Lightning, go to http://www.neurologicstudies.com/ or call (313) 228-0930.

Media Contact:  bud@lieblergroup.com; 248-229-7047