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Seven Minnesota Teams to Participate in 2016 Disabled Festival

By Minnesota Hockey, 03/28/16, 9:15AM CDT

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Seven teams from Minnesota are set to join participants from across the country in Fraser, Michigan on April 7-10 for the 2016 USA Disabled Hockey Festival. The 12th annual festival will provide a fun and exciting weekend of events for players from all four disciplines of disabled hockey: special hockey, sled hockey, deaf/hard of hearing hockey and the Warriors program — which is for injured veterans.

The festival is a celebration of disabled hockey and serves as an event to grow the game. Over 80 teams will be in attendance this year, including over 50 sled hockey teams and a sizable contingent from Minnesota. Two special hockey teams, three sled teams and two teams from the Minnesota Warriors program will be making the trip.

“The USA Disabled Hockey Festival is the season ending event that our teams are always so proud to participate in,” said Minnesota’s Director of Disabled Hockey, Toni Gillen.  “The world of disabled hockey is a closely connected family, and this is the one opportunity each year, to not only participate in games, but also to see the friends our teams have made throughout the years.”

Overall, the main goal of the festival, and the sport, is to remind these athletes that they are just that: athletes.

“Every single person that plays disabled hockey has had to overcome something to be there,” Gillen said. “They’ve never been able to just put on skates and get on the ice.

“The fact that the sport is out there gives them a common denominator and to be a part of a team. This is a chance for them to say ‘I’m not disabled, I’m a hockey player.’”

For more details on the festival, click here

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Seven teams from Minnesota are set to join participants from across the country in Fraser, Michigan on April 7-10 for the 2016 USA Disabled Hockey Festival. The 12th annual festival will provide a fun and exciting weekend of events for players from all four disciplines of disabled hockey: special hockey, sled hockey, deaf/hard of hearing hockey and the Warriors program — which is for injured veterans.

The festival is a celebration of disabled hockey and serves as an event to grow the game. Over 80 teams will be in attendance this year, including over 50 sled hockey teams and a sizable contingent from Minnesota. Two special hockey teams, three sled teams and two teams from the Minnesota Warriors program will be making the trip.

“The USA Disabled Hockey Festival is the season ending event that our teams are always so proud to participate in,” said Minnesota’s Director of Disabled Hockey, Toni Gillen.  “The world of disabled hockey is a closely connected family, and this is the one opportunity each year, to not only participate in games, but also to see the friends our teams have made throughout the years.”

Overall, the main goal of the festival, and the sport, is to remind these athletes that they are just that: athletes.

“Every single person that plays disabled hockey has had to overcome something to be there,” Gillen said. “They’ve never been able to just put on skates and get on the ice.

“The fact that the sport is out there gives them a common denominator and to be a part of a team. This is a chance for them to say ‘I’m not disabled, I’m a hockey player.’”

For more details on the festival, click here

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