Rochester Sled Hawks Shine at Roc Holiday Village

A bright blue sky and city buildings are the background to a dazzling outdoor ice rink where a videographer is filming a reporter trying out sled hockey

Sled Hockey Shines at Roc Holiday Village ❄️

Rochester Accessible Adventures (RAA) was thrilled to bring the excitement of sled hockey to Roc Holiday Village during a festive opening weekend, bringing our annual Sled Hockey Demo on Saturday, December 6th. The holiday lights, music, and joyful atmosphere set the perfect stage for community members to try a fast-paced, inclusive sport that truly embodies the spirit of winter fun.

Our momentum began the day before, on Friday, December 5th, when 13WHAM joined us in the early hours on the ice featuring RAA’s Executive Director, Anita O’Brien, and Sled Hawks leader, Coach Darren Zyra. The interview highlighted the upcoming clinic, the impact of sled hockey, and RAA’s mission to create inclusive recreation and sports opportunities for people of all abilities.

Check out the 13WHAM story here!

A Day on the Ice to Remember 🏒

On Saturday, the ice came alive as over 50 participants joined our staff and volunteers for the demo — from 3 years old and up. Youth and adults, parents and children, grandparents and first-time skaters all took to the ice together, sharing laughs, learning new skills, and discovering the joy of this unique sport.

Members of the Sled Hawks Sled Hockey Team were on the ice throughout the event, mentoring participants, demonstrating skills, and helping everyone feel confident and welcome. Their leadership and enthusiasm made the experience unforgettable and showed exactly what makes this sport so special.

A teenager who is volunteering for RAA tries out sled hockey seated in a sled with sticks on an outdoor ice rinkA teenager who is volunteering for RAA tries out sled hockey seated in a sled with sticks on an outdoor ice rink

Join the Sled Hawks 🚨

The Sled Hawks are actively recruiting new youth and adult players, and we’d love to welcome you to the team. Whether you’re brand new to sled hockey or looking to return to the ice, there’s a place for you.

RAA@RochesterAccessibleAdventures.org
Rochester Sled Hawks

Coach Darren Zyra looks forward to hearing from you!

Call to Action: Get Involved & Support the Team ❤️

Sled hockey thrives because of community support. If you’ve witnessed first-hand how these clinics create life-changing moments for people, or you want to take our word for it! – there are many ways to help:

  • Volunteer with practices, events, or logistics

  • Donate to support equipment, ice time, and programming

  • Spread the word about adaptive & inclusive sports and RAA’s mission

Together, we can continue to grow the Sled Hawks, expand access to adaptive recreation, and create more moments like this — on and off the ice.

Related Posts

The owner of this website has made a commitment to accessibility and inclusion, please report any problems that you encounter using the contact form on this website. This site uses the WP ADA Compliance Check plugin to enhance accessibility.