Mary Kippenhan inspires, well... everybody

ROCKLAND — Mary Kippenhan is an athlete who loves playing sports.  She is an 11-year-old girl from Rockland who plays basketball and hockey, but she says hockey is her favorite sport.

"It's fun. I like to shoot," said Mary when FOX25 asked her what she likes most about hockey.

Mary has cerebral palsy.

"Mary is in the fifth grade, but she comprehends at about the first grade level," said her dad George Kippenhan. "Her cerebral palsy affects her muscles and her brain. Her muscle issues meant she was a late walker and late talker. So every little hill that's put in front of her it takes her a little longer to get up, but she will scratch and claw her way up."

Several years ago Mary fell in love with hockey while watching a Bruins game with her dad.  A friend suggested they go to a 'learn to skate' program.  Her dad was skeptical.

"She had trouble walking, so let's throw her on skates?" George said incredulously.

At the learn to skate, Mary kept falling down but she kept getting up and always with a smile on her face. Marty Decourcey was there that day and spent time skating with her around the ice.  Three months later Marty told Mary he wanted her on his hockey team.

" I just saw a 9-year-old girl who loved hockey.  I knew she would be a perfect fit for my team," said Decourcey.

Marty is the head coach of the Boston Junior Terriers. They are an elite youth hockey team that plays at the highest level in the Northeast.  Marty and George also went to college together at Framingham State.

"When Mary told me that Marty wanted her on his hockey team, I went to Marty and said 'dude what are you talking about?'"  said Mary's dad.  "Marty said, I need her on my team. She is going to teach my boys more than I could ever teach them".

So Mary joined the team.  And for two years, she has been a huge part of the Terriers success.

Mary dresses and practices with the Terriers.  During games, she suits up in full uniform and sits on the bench with words of encouragement for her team.  Here is what her teammates say about Mary:

"She gives us courage to keep trying," said teammate Dylan Rakes.

"Mary helps us when when we are down. She helps us not to be mean to people," teammate Peter Fischer told FOX25.

"She's taught us to be nice to everybody, even if they are different," said teammate Charley Carol.

Teammate A. J. Priori says, "She always looks at the bright side of stuff."

"Many of her teammates call her our good luck charm," Decourcey said. " She has humbled me.  When things are tough, you just look at Mary with a big smile on her face and all is great."

When asked what she has done for this team and for these boys, Mary says "I kept getting up.  That shows them they have to work hard."

Cox Media Group