The Official Site of the U.S. Paralympic Team

Personal Profile:

When Joe Howard lost his legs at age 15 after being hit by a train, he didn’t so much mind the fact that his legs were gone. “My biggest regret was the thought of never playing hockey again.” Growing up in the Boston area, Howard was raised in America’s hockey heartland. He was in skates and pads at age 4, and his love for the sport grew with each passing year. After his accident, Howard participated in other sports, such as skiing and wheelchair basketball and football. However, in 1996 he learned about sledge hockey, “and I fell in love with the sport all over again.”

Howard made the national team just in time for its Paralympic debut at the 1998 Nagano Games. Despite an impressive individual showing by Howard, which included a Paralympic record six goals in one game against Great Britain, the team finished sixth out of seven teams. In 2002, however, the team had a new coach, former Boston Bruin Rick Middleton, a new commitment to the sport and a new life. Because of the team’s previous poor showings, it was only allowed a slot in the Salt Lake Games as a courtesy to the host country. But the team that wasn’t even supposed to be there soon proved that it belonged. The U.S. rolled through the opening matches undefeated, setting itself up for a showdown with defending Paralympic champion Norway for the gold medal. In a thrilling, double-overtime shootout victory, Team USA prevailed 4-3 in front of a record 8,317 spectators. Howard, who had been selected as team captain, had a big game, scoring two goals and assisting on another. The gold Howard won fulfilled a promise he made to his mother, who couldn’t travel to Salt Lake because of her battle with cancer. It also complemented the gold engagement ring he presented his girlfriend of five years on center ice following the team’s semifinal victory from the day before.

In 2006, the U.S. brought a vastly different team to Torino with hopes of defending their gold medal. One constant, however, was Howard wearing the captain's "C" on his sweater. He tied for the team lead in goals and was tied for second on the team in points as the U.S. won the bronze medal. Along with Dave Conklin, Manny Guerra and Kip St. Germaine, Howard was one of four three-time Paralympians (in sled hockey) on the squad. Time will tell if he's back in Vancouver for a fourth.