Rochester hockey community celebrates inclusivity at Friendship Festival

The Rochester Friendship Festival, held at the Tim Hortons IcePlex in Brighton over the weekend, brought together hundreds of athletes with developmental disabilities for a hockey event dedicated to inclusivity.

The festival, featuring more than 325 athletes from 16 teams across the United States and Canada, highlighted members of the American Special Hockey Association in a showcase of skill, determination and camaraderie.

Organized by the Rochester Ice Cats, a local team and Association member, the event underscored the importance of sports as a platform for teaching valuable life skills.

Rochester Special Hockey Coach Tom Simmons reflected on the organization’s impact and the broader purpose of the event.

“Hockey, it’s a game that we utilize to teach individuals how to be responsible, how to work within teamwork [and] how to socialize, which is a sorely lacking subject today,” Simmons said.

Stephanie Ballard-Foster

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WXXI News

The festival’s agenda was packed with activities aimed at fostering community and personal growth, including a “future stars program,” a “three-on-three seniors’ competition,” and basket raffles, further enriching the participants’ experience.

Amid the goals and cheers, the festival also…