COTTAGE GROVE, Minn. — Alone, is not the best way to play hockey. Yet, it’s the way Matt Jenkins has spent most of his hours with a stick and puck.
If he’s not in the driveway shooting at an empty net, “It’s downstairs,” Matt’s mother, Denise Jenkins, says. “It’s non-stop.”
Most of Matt’s high school classmates are in college or working jobs. Matt, now 21, shoots pucks – mostly, alone.
“When he was born, there were some hintings there,” his mother says.
“There was a genetic marker that was missing in his chromosomes,” Morgan Jenkins, Matt’s father, adds.
"Developmentally delayed,” is the term the Jenkins were left with.
“That's all they can tell us,” Denise says.
Matt may be delayed, but he is also delightful.
Matt lifts to his lips a clip-on microphone pinned to his Jersey by the news photographer shooting his story.
“Hey KARE 11 boy,” he says, looking into the camera. “How much do I love Hockey? One-hundred percent,” Matt says, flashing a smile.
Matt liked his high school years. He had friends, mostly from his special education classes.
The sense of companionship carried over for Matt into the school district’s transition program, in which Matt spent three additional years.
But last May, when Matt aged out of the transition program, there was “nothing,” his mother says.
“It’s the social cutoff that’s the hardest,” Matt’s father adds.
Matt sought refuge, alone, at the Cottage Grove Ice Arena during the daily open skate.
It was there, he found the Mud Ducks.
The group of men in their 60s and 70s have their own ice time an hour before the morning open skate.
“It's our coffee klatch,” 74-year-old Tom Watt says.
The “old-timers” would see Matt waiting to the side for his chance at the ice during the open skate.
Morgan says, one day last spring, the Mud Ducks extended to his son an invitation. “They said, ‘If you want to come at 9 o'clock when we start, you can skate with us.’”
Now, five mornings a week, Matt works out with the senior men.
The Mud Ducks don’t play games. They just play. Bantering as they exercise their legs, pick up speed on their skates, and shoot the puck at an open net.
Seventy-four-year-old Don Greeman glides into the bench to catch a breath.
Matt skates to the boards, patting Don on the top of his helmet.
“You’re a good teammate,” Matt tells him.
“Thank you, sir,” a smiling Don tells Matt as the junior skater returns to the ice.
“They're his team,” Matt’s father says.
The team that thought Matt needed better gear, bought it for him – pads and breezers.
The Mud Ducks also made sure Matt had a black, logoed Mud Ducks jersey, just like the ones they all wore.
“He sets his alarm every day,” Denise says. “His hockey gear is all packed.”
“Sitting at the front door waiting,” Morgan adds.
The Mud Ducks suit up with Matt in one of the arena’s locker rooms, bantering about the weather and Minnesota Wild hockey.
Matt pulls his jersey over his head.
“That looks good,” Tom tells him before delivering to Matt a fist bump.
“You look like one of us,” he tells Matt.
Don, dressing on a bench nearby, adds, “He is.”
Just when Matt needed new friends, he found them in a group of men three times his age.
“They are everything to him,” Matt’s mother says. “’So and so wasn't here today. They think he's sick, I hope he's okay.’”
At 64, Steve Burnham is one of the younger Mud Ducks.
“It's been a blessing for everybody,” he says.
When Steve saw how Matt was thriving with the group, he started bringing his own son, Will, who also has autism.
Unlike Matt, Will didn’t know how to skate.
With Matt’s encouragement, he’s learning.
“We're doing good, Will,” Matt tells him as the two take a short break on the bench.
The good just keeps coming.
When the Park High School hockey coach found out about Matt and the Mud Ducks, he offered Matt a job running the penalty box on home game nights.
If the Mud Ducks are Matt’s favorite morning activity, his work in the penalty box hits his sweet spot in the evening.
“They didn't have to do what they did,” Morgan says. “They could have left him on the bench. They chose to make that first step.”
The Mud Ducks insist they get as much from Matt as they give.
“When we leave, he gives us a hug,” Don says.
“Means a lot,” Tom adds, his face filled with emotion.
Theirs is wisdom born of age – and a friendship born of a flock.
“He’s one of the guys now,” Don says.
“He is a Mud Duck,” Tom adds.
Boyd Huppert is always looking for great stories to share in the Land of 10,000 Stories! Send us your suggestions by filling out this form.
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