Life presents many challenges, and only with determination and hard work can we meet these challenges.

Michael Merriman, born with a 70 per cent hearing impairment, has succeeded both as a person and a professional.

It was through determination, hard work and the solid support of his parents, Carol and Barry Merriman of Springside, that this young man in now happily married and a successful teacher and hockey coach.

Hockey has always played an important role in Michael's life. At the age of 5, decked out in full hockey equipment--the gift of his grandfather and grandmother--he played hockey with older children in Springside. He later played with the Yorkton Legion Terrier hockey team and was named the Most Valuable Player.

When it came time for schooling, Carol and Barry decided not to send Michael to the School for the Deaf in Saskatoon. With the support of Springside teacher Marilyn Herron and the local school board, he was enrolled in the mainstream of Springside public school.

The challenge of teaching Michael to speak properly faced Carol and Barry. Under the direction of a speech therapist from Regina, Carol faced this task. She recalls many a stormy session, but in the end Michael was speaking not with the usual monotone of the deaf, but the cadence of a hearing person.

After taking Grades 7 and 8 at Yorkdale school, he went to Notre Dame at Wilcox to play hockey and to take his high school education.

On graduation from high school, he earned a hockey scholarship to Ohio State University, where he enrolled in the College of Education. In his four years at Ohio State University he not only excelled at hockey, but each year he made the Dean's List as one of the top students.

After graduating from university with a Bachelor of Education degree, he played semi-professional hockey in Australia and Europe.

On his return to Canada from Australia, he was recommended by Notre Dame to teach and to coach in a junior high school in Williston, N.D. In his first year of coaching, he took his team to the state championship.

After three years at Williston, he returned to Notre Dame as a full time teacher and coach of the Triple A Midget Hockey team.

Meantime, he obtained his Masters in Education Administration from the University of Regina and is continuing to work towards a Ph.D degree.

Michael captained the Canadian national deaf hockey team in the Olympics in Finland in 1995 when the team won the silver medal, and in 1999 in Switzerland when the team took the gold medal. Both times he was named Most Valuable Player. It is interesting to note that Michael was the only player from Saskatchewan on the team that played in Switzerland.

This summer Michael will be chief instructor and manager of the first-ever hockey school for the deaf. The school will be in held in Wilcox, under the sponsorship of the Canadian National Deaf Hockey Association. Here players will be assessed for inclusion in the Canadian national deaf hockey team.

At this school, it is Michael's goal not only to develop young hockey players, but off-ice to give the young deaf players the confidence and skills that will enable them to meet the challenges they will face.

This young man has surmounted many challenges, and is a role model for others who are handicapped in many ways.