NJ Warriors Continue Growth with National Title | FEATURE

In the fall of 2019, a new hockey program formed in New Jersey to support disabled veterans and provide them a chance to play organized hockey. The New Jersey Warriors, a 501c3 non-profit, volunteer-led organization, had veterans from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York come play hockey. The program, with support from the New Jersey Devils and USA Hockey, hit the ground running with a tournament out west before the on-ice activities came to a holt with COVID in early 2020.

“With the help of USA Hockey and the support of the New Jersey Devils, our program started in the fall of 2019 with just a handful of veterans and our first tournament which was out in Las Vegas,” explained Ted Curtin, President and co-founder of the Warriors. “With an exciting start, and some building momentum, COVID came along and shut us down just as fast as we started. It was tough for us as a very new program, but we quickly realized that what we do off the ice, is as important as the work we do on the ice. We became a life-line to our veterans. A connection to each other and way to stem off the loneliness that disabled veterans felt even more so than the rest of the population.”

When they could start holding in-person events again the Warriors jumped back into action with their on-ice activities. The program continued to grow from 10 players to now almost 40 just four and a half years later.

After COVID, when the on-ice activities and hockey games returned for the Warriors the off-ice support continued to be a key part of this program. For Warriors assistant captain and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Mike Sullivan, the Warriors supported him through a key loss.

“Being a part of the NJ Warriors has been great it brings back that sense of comraderie that we all had in the service,” Sullivan explained. “The team has helped me get through a lot, the coaches, board members and my teammates were all there for my family and I after my father passed away last April and I couldn’t ask for more.”

Joe Roshinko, a U.S. Air Force veteran and member of the Warriors, joined the Warriors in Aug. 2023 and in this short time span has already found a strong connection with the group.

“Being part of the NJ Warriors means a lot to me. I’ve only been part of the team since August of 2023 and the team comradery and friendships made through this program is more than words can speak. You don’t feel like you’re alone. My teammates, the coaches and board are always there to help….