Dominic Cozzolino’s introduction to hockey reads like a storybook beginning. From learning to skate on his family’s backyard rink to shooting pucks in the driveway, it was the quintessential Canadian childhood.
“Like a lot of Canadian kids, all I ever dreamt of was playing in the NHL,” Cozzolino said. “All I ever thought about, talked about, wanted to do was play hockey.”
His deep passion for the game led him to the Greater Toronto Hockey League, where he spent five seasons playing ‘AA’ hockey.
On March 3, 2009, everything changed for Cozzolino. During a playoff game with the Mississauga Jets, he was checked awkwardly into the boards, suffering a life-altering spinal cord injury.
“As you can imagine for a 14-year-old kid who dreamt of playing in the NHL, I didn’t really have a backup plan,” explained Cozzolino. “I thought my life was over, and I felt like I lost my identity.”
After the accident, doctors told Cozzolino he would likely never walk again. Refusing to accept that fate, he committed himself fully to recovery – spending the next three years in physiotherapy, going twice a day, every day.
“For me, being resilient wasn’t really an option,” Cozzolino shared. “I had to be if I wanted to get back on my feet. I think I learned that resilience through years and years of playing hockey.”
“Without my background in sport and hockey, I don’t think I would have been able to recover and get out of the wheelchair,” Cozzolino reflected.
Now back on his feet, Cozzolino discovered a newfound sense of purpose, and a belief that he could still have a future in hockey. In 2012, he was introduced to Para Ice Hockey and quickly dove in.
“Once I found out I would have the opportunity to represent my country and potentially compete at the Paralympics, my mind was set on that goal,” said Cozzolino.
Despite his enthusiasm, the transition from stand-up to para ice hockey was anything but easy. Cozzolino’s years of experience gave him a clear understanding of the game, but the real challenge was teaching his body to execute what his mind already knew.
“The biggest challenge [was] that my mind was working so much faster than my body would allow me to,” Cozzolino explained. “So, it was a really frustrating process at the beginning.”
Despite the initial challenges, Cozzolino began to fall in love with hockey all over again.
“All the best things about stand-up hockey, you’ll find in the para ice hockey game,” he said. “And maybe even amplified.”
Within just three years of his first time playing para ice hockey, Cozzolino earned an invitation to try out for Canada’s national team. He made his debut in 2017 at the World Para Ice Hockey Championships, where he helped Canada capture gold. Since then, he has played a key role in Canada’s silver-medal finishes at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, and the 2019, 2021, and 2023 World Championships. This winter, Cozzolino will once again wear the maple leaf this winter at the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games in Italy, determined to help Canada capture its first para ice hockey gold in 20 years.
“It would mean everything, honestly,” said Cozzolino on the prospect of claiming Paralympic gold. “Growing up as a kid, winning a gold medal, wearing a Team Canada jersey is all I’ve ever dreamt of.”
As Cozzolino continues to chase his dreams, he knows he wouldn’t be where he is today without the support of those around him – and he’s determined to pay that support forward.
“After you experience something like what I went through, and what some of my teammates and other Paralympians have gone through,” Cozzolino reflected. “You just kind of realize the power of sport and the power of community.”
Cozzolino is committed to making an impact in his community. He serves as an ambassador for Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, supports Canadian Tire’s Jumpstart, and TELUS’s End Bullying Campaign.
“If I can teach some kids who might be going through a tough situation like I was,” said Cozzolino. “I can help them establish a little bit of resilience or get them involved in a sport that they’re going to love. I think that is so important and ultimately, it’s how you build stronger communities.”
“For me it’s all about paying back all of the love and help I’ve gotten along the way.”
Through his passion for hockey and love for his community, Cozzolino has turned what could have been a devastating, permanent setback into a source of strength. From his early days in the GTHL to competing on the stage of the Paralympic Winter Games, Cozzolino remains grateful for the journey that brought him here.
“When I tell my story, I always tell people I’m lucky” he said.
“I got to learn to play hockey twice.”
