RED DEER, AB/TORONTO (April 3, 2025) – The Team Jigger Foundation Sledge Hockey Program announced it has received a generous donation of 10 brand new complete sets of sledge hockey equipment, including sleds, sticks and protective equipment, courtesy of NHLPA Goals & Dreams. This donation will go towards helping many kids get involved in the game, now and in the future.
“The Team Jigger Foundation has truly impacted Red Deer and the surrounding community by providing adaptive equipment to individuals that aspire to play adaptive sports,” said Ryan Straschnitzki, a supporter of Team Jigger, former Humbolt Broncos player and Founder of the Straz Strong Foundation. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have attended fundraising and awareness events where I’ve met some amazing individuals and youth that continue to inspire me to keep working towards my goals. Thank you to the NHLPA for supporting Team Jigger.”
Debuting in the fall of 2021 in Lacombe, Alberta, the Team Jigger Sledge Hockey program expanded to include additional ice times at Eagle Builders Centre in Blackfalds in 2022, and in the newly renovated G.H. Dawe Community Centre in Red Deer since 2023.
“Having had some involvement in Ontario Sledge Hockey, I understand the importance and value of having a strong sledge hockey program available in Red Deer and Central Alberta,” said Darcy Tucker, the longtime former NHL player who grew up playing hockey in Central Alberta. “The Team Jigger Sledge Hockey program ensures that there is enough equipment and ice time available for anyone wanting to participate. It’s all about accessibility and providing sport and recreation to those who might otherwise feel it wasn’t possible for them.”
The program has been met with great interest and support during the first few years in these locations, and it is our intention to grow sledge hockey in other communities across Central Alberta.
“Sledge, or Para Hockey, is a truly accessible version of the game we Canadians are so passionate about,” said Ray Wasdal, Team Jigger Board Director and Central Alberta Sledge Hockey Program Coordinator. “People who are experiencing paraplegia, mobility issues, degenerative conditions, amputation or coordination issues, can strap into a sled alongside able-bodied friends and family for a game of hockey. Sledge hockey is for everybody! It’s a lot of fun being part of that.”
After launching a Junior program in the 2023-24 season, the program has substantially grown during the 2024-25 season in large part due to the generous equipment donation from NHLPA Goals & Dreams.
“With this donation we are able to supply the primary equipment [sledges and sticks] for all our junior players, plus protective equipment in the event a participant is unable to provide their own. Because the kids come from a variety of backgrounds and abilities, we are now all set up for them to ‘try’ sledge hockey at little to no cost to the parents,” added Wasdal.
Through various “Try It Events” in collaboration with local schools, the Red Deer Sports Academy, and with regular weekly ice time at G. H. Dawe, over 200 kids participated in the 2024-25 season. Some kids from those sessions are now regular players on the junior team, while more are expected to join. In addition, a milestone was reached for the junior program by entering a team in the Alberta Para Hockey tournament held in Red Deer February 2025.
