While many hockey fans try to keep their eyes on the puck, Derek Beck is keeping his ears on it.
Beck is legally blind, and uses a specialty puck filled with bells to know where it is, and where to shoot.
"So my dad brought me out to the local pond," said Beck. "He expected me to be all shaky and stuff, but he just let me go and I picked it right up and I fell in love."
Beck lost his eyesight due to a brain tumor that required 22 weeks of chemotherapy when he was just 6-years-old.
Despite that, he played in organized leagues up until high school.
"Everyone on my team kind of knew me by the kid who couldn't couldn't see as well as everyone else, so blind hockey just gives me the opportunity to like show my skills without having that setback," said Beck.
With the Maine Blind Bears, a team comprised of visually impaired players, Beck found a home.
And the coach who has helped him every step of the way, is the same person who helped him first fall in love with the sport.
"We, me and his mom have always told him, you know, from a young age that if there's something out there that you want, you go, you go ahead and get it, you know, don't let your disabilities slow you down," said John Beck, Derek's father and coach.
At just 17-years-old, Beck is representing his country, joining the U.S. Men's Blind Hockey Team.
"Just because you do something differently than someone else doesn't mean it's wrong or different, you know, as long as you get to the same place and do what you like to do, then there's no wrong way to do it," said Beck.
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