VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Three incredible organizations joined forces to promote sled hockey in Hampton Roads Saturday afternoon. The Warrior for Life Fund partnered with the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey team and the Boston Bruins Foundation to host an epic exhibition hockey game at the Iceland Family Skating Center over the weekend celebrating the courage and resilience of both Paralympians and veterans alike. Sled hockey is one of the most adaptive sports with nearly every element being the same as stand-up hockey with the exception of using a sled with a blade versus skates.
Fresh off their record-breaking fifth Paralympic gold medal victory, the US Paralympic sled hockey team is renowned worldwide for its exceptional performance in the sport. In Saturday's contest, they competed with the Warrior for Life Fund sled hockey team as well as former Boston Bruins in an exhibition game both to showcase talent and reinforce a sense of belonging within the armed forced community.
"It's not all about competition. It's really just more about camaraderie and coming back together and having that same locker room sense which is kind of the same feeling we have when we're in the military and we do deployments and we have our partners and brothers around us all the time," said Warrior for Life Fund CEO Ryan Croley.
What some may not realize is that medically retired veterans make up a sizable chunk of the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey team. Of the 17 names on the roster this season, 7 of them were former military. Declan Farmer, a two-time Paralympic champion, three-time world champion, and ESPY Award winner who has been with Team USA for 12 seasons, says the military presence has brought the team closer.
"If they're still learning to cope with their disabilities, they get to interact with someone like me who has always had a disability and maybe that changes their perspective a little bit," said Farmer. "We see what they're going through and just have a stronger appreciation for people who serve our country so I think that mesh is what's really cool about all Paralympic sports."
Medically retired veteran Logan Brokaw who currently plays with the Warrior for Life Fund, says it also provides a sense of brotherhood veterans experienced during their time in service and a way for them to stay competitive in sports.
"Something that is big in the military is that team dynamic and team atmosphere and that can kind of go away after service so a lot of veterans kind of crave that and get away from it and getting back into something like this definitely scratches that itch."