NJ Sled Hockey Team Includes Disabled Athletes From Military, Local Community

It’s called “sled hockey,” and the disabled athletes that play the sport are some of the toughest competitors in the Garden State.

And on July 23, you’ll get a chance to see what the sport is all about, North Jersey.

On Saturday, July 23, from 2 to 4 p.m., members of the New Jersey Freeze Sled Hockey Team and the Push To Walk Organization will partner together for their annual Sled Hockey demonstration at Floyd Hall Arena on the Montclair State University campus.

Based out of Randolph, the New Jersey Freeze Sled Hockey Team has been participating in the highly competitive Northeast Sled Hockey League (NESHL), which not only features nine teams from all across the northeast United States, but also produced number of past and current U.S Paralympic Athletes, event organizers stated in a news release.

According to organizers, sled or sledge hockey is a sport played primarily by disabled athletes. The rules of traditional ice hockey apply with several rule modifications to better suit the disabled, which include a sled to sit on and two sticks containing ice “picks” to propel oneself on the ice.

The July 23 demo will be divided into two sections. The first hour will feature an exhibition game between the NJ Freeze Blue Squad and The NJ Freeze White Squad, who boast rosters of past and present U.S National and Developmental Team players, along with several former U.S. military members.

After the game, interested new players can test out one of the available sleds provided by the team, organizers said.

The event is open to the public and free of charge. For more information, contact Nick Teodoro at (973) 787-7371, or nteodoro78@gmail.com.

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Photo courtesy of Nick Teodoro