On November 26, the Markham Islanders Sledge Hockey Club invited the Under-12 AA Markham Islanders to join in on one of their practices to learn more about sledge hockey firsthand.

“Special practice today,” the Islanders Sledge Hockey Club wrote on their Instagram post following the event. “A massive eight-on-eight scrimmage broke out and eventually the benches emptied (in a good way).”

The Islanders Sledge Hockey Club, established in 1986, is open to all players of ages, genders, and levels of ability. Shared on their website, the club states that sledge hockey gives everyone the opportunity to play Canada’s favourite sport and learn the value of teamwork.

“We thought this would be a fun opportunity for our kids to try out a sport that, while very similar to hockey, is quite different in how it is played,” Kristen Cribari, mom of one of the U12 Islanders goaltenders, said.

As part of community giving and appreciation to the sledge hockey team, the U12 Islanders collected $25 per player for the event and donated the total raised to The War Amps organization and CHAMP program.

This is the second collaboration between the Markham Islanders and the Islanders Sledge Hockey Club this year, with the U16 AA team participating in a similar event in February 2022.

For more information on the Islanders Sledge Hockey Club, visit islanderssledgehockey.ca.