Blind Hockey spotlight: Corbin Johnson
Only two years ago, Corbin Johnson played his first Blind Hockey game. Fast forward to today, he has proven that Blind Hockey has changed his life by helping to spearhead a major partnership and take on the role of program coordinator in Victoria BC. Corbin’s story in his own words:
I was born with Stargardt’s disease, a degenerative condition that affects my central vision. It’s something I’ve lived with my entire life with my sight slowly fading over time. The best way I can describe it is like someone taking off their glasses and seeing the world go slightly blurry. My peripheral vision is still intact, but my center vision has deteriorated.
The interesting thing is that because it happened gradually, my brain learned to fill in the gaps. Doctors used to tell me I should have a gray blob in the middle of my vision, but I never saw it that way. My brain just adapted. It compensates by filling in missing details, so I can still look forward and function almost like anyone else. It’s amazing how adaptable the human brain is.
There are moments when I’m reminded how blind I am — like trying to find something on a grocery store shelf — but most of the time, I don’t even think about it. This is just my normal.
Growing up, I refused to let my vision define me, which I know now that there’s a certain humility to embracing it. I was fiercely independent and didn’t like to hear the word “can’t.” If someone told me I couldn’t do something, that only made me want to prove them wrong. My parents knew that if I set my mind to something, I was going to make it happen.
I was drawn to independent sports like skateboarding and snowboarding. I loved hockey, but I never pursued it because I couldn’t see the puck clearly, and I didn’t want to rely on others to get to the rink. Still, that love for the game never really left me.
School wasn’t my strong suit — not because I wasn’t capable, but because it just didn’t fit the way I learned. I was outgoing, creative, and always on the move. By 15, I was ready to see the world and even lived in Mexico for 8 years.
But no matter where I went or what I did, the common thread was connecting with people.
A few years ago, I joined the CNIB. I started working with the philanthropy team, building connections and raising funds for programs that support people with sight loss.
Through my work at the CNIB, I learned that it’s okay to be open about living with vision loss. It’s okay to use a white cane. In fact, the first time I started using my cane regularly was empowering. It wasn’t a symbol of weakness — it was a sign of self-acceptance. It also made life easier. People understand when they see the cane. It removes the awkwardness and lets me navigate the world with confidence.
I also discovered assistive technology that changed everything. Simple things like screen magnifiers or large monitors made work so much easier. I no longer had to strain my eyes.
Around that same time, I stumbled onto something that would completely change my life again — Blind Hockey.
Despite being legally blind my whole life, I had no idea Blind Hockey existed. I was looking for a fun way to stay active, so I reached out to BC Blind Sports. They told me about Canadian Blind Hockey and that a local team, the Eclipse, practiced just down the street from my office every Friday and Saturday.
I went to one of their last games of the season to check it out, and within minutes I knew — I was hooked.
That passion carried over into my work in philanthropy. I started thinking about how I could help grow Blind Hockey’s visibility and funding. I began reaching out to contacts with the Vancouver Canucks and the Canucks for Kids Fund, trying to open doors for Canadian Blind Hockey.
That led to meetings with Canucks alumni who joined us for a Blind Hockey showcase game in Victoria. We met with Canadian Blind Hockey and from that moment, the Canucks became true supporters. We worked together to create opportunities that would help Blind Hockey grow, and the partnership has continued to gain momentum ever since.
Today, I am thrilled to be the Program Coordinator for the Victoria Blind Hockey team, welcoming new and returning players to the ice. I’m still celebrating the puck drop from the 2025 Western Regional Blind Hockey tournament, where the Canucks announced their partnership for Canadian Blind Hockey. To learn more, check out this article on NHL.com
Finally, one of the things I gave up pursuing with vision loss was photography. As I was looking for funding opportunities I came across this grant from TELUS STORYHIVE.
I’m directing, producing, and editing Where’s the Puck? — A Blind Hockey documentary and we just launched a crowdfund on Seed&Spark to help us bring in professional support for post-production.
We’ve reached 60% of our $5,000 goal, but Seed&Spark only releases funds if we hit at least 80%. Here is a link to the campaign: https://seedandspark.com/fund/wheres-the-puck
Once complete, the series will premiere at community screenings, be broadcast on TELUS Optik TV, released on the TELUS YouTube channel, and submitted to festivals across Canada.
Thanks for your support!
