Posted on April 14, 2023
Mary Free Bed’s Sled Hockey Teams Return to Nationals
The Grand Rapids Sled Wings are back competing for the title! The junior and adult teams have traveled to St. Louis for the USA Sled Hockey National Championship.
The Junior Sled Wings feature young athletes ages 13-18, and they will be defending their title, after winning the national championship in 2022.
The Sled Hockey National Championship runs April 13 through the 16th. It’s the second weekend of competition in the USA Hockey Disabled Hockey Festival. The first action-packed weekend, featured blind, deaf/hard of hearing, veteran and standing amputee hockey teams.
The Grand Rapids Sled Wings teams are sponsored by the Mary Free Bed Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports and the Grand Rapids Griffins Youth Foundation.
Sled hockey is a highly competitive Paralympic sport similar to traditional hockey, but participants sit on bladed sleds. It’s ideal for competitive and recreational athletes with lower-limb-affected disabilities.
Players use shortened hockey sticks with a blade on one end and a pick on the other, that enables them to propel themselves across the ice. Just like in traditional hockey, checking, penalties and hard slap shots are abundant.
Keep up with the teams’ results at USAHockey.com.
