Northeast Sled Hockey League Inc

Founded in 2005, the Northeast Sled Hockey League or NESHL is the first-ever organized, multi-state, adult sled hockey league in the United States. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our athletes range from Maine to Maryland, and we play from September to March each year. Year-round, we work to promote awareness of Sled Hockey and support people with disabilities. Playing on a NESHL team is life-changing—our athletes gain independence, confidence, and a positive attitude as well as improving their physical fitness.

Our objectives as a league are:

• To provide a fun, competitive Sled Hockey League for individuals with mobility impairment.
• To assist in the development of players for local, regional, and national level teams.
• To increase the awareness of Sled Hockey through on-ice and off-ice presentations.
• To assist with individuals' independence and Return to Work/Life.
• To build life skills—teamwork, responsibility, commitment.
• To promote "Positive Shared Experiences" amongst family and friends.
• To provide an opportunity for corporate sponsorship through value-exchange partnerships. 

A little something about our Sled Hockey athletes -both male and female, ages 13 to 60. Most of our athletes have some type of mobility impairment, and are of many ethnic backgrounds. Approximately 22% of our athletes are disabled veterans. Our athletes, families, and volunteers come from a wide geographic range, covering the states of ME, NH, MA, VT, CT, NY, NJ, PA, OH, MD, VA.  We are also proud to have many of our athletes play on the Men's and Women's USA Sled Hockey teams, representing our country at international events.

What is sled hockey, you might ask?  Sled hockey, also known as sledge hockey internationally, is the fast, exciting, rough-and-tumble version of ice hockey played primarily by people with lower limb mobility impairments. The game is essentially the same as “stand-up” ice hockey, the major difference being that the players use a sled with two hockey skate blades mounted under a seat. The players use two sticks, one end of each having a conventional hockey stick blade and the other end equipped with stainless steel "picks" which can be dug into the ice to allow propulsion. In competitive play, hard checking, raised-puck shooting, and penalty killing are as much a part of sled hockey as they are in “stand-up” hockey.

• Sled hockey is one of the fastest growing disabled sports in the world, with new sled hockey programs and sled hockey teams showing up everywhere.
• There are about 50 adult and junior sled hockey teams in the USA.
• Sweden claims to have originated sled hockey. It is played in a number of countries.
• Sled Hockey is an official Paralympic sport.
• The USA Sled Hockey Team won the gold medal in the 2002, 2010, and 2014 Paralympics.
• The Northeast Sled Hockey League is the first organized adult sled hockey league in the USA.
• Sled hockey players are extremely committed to the sport of sled hockey, and regularly teach sled hockey clinics and participate in sled hockey outreach events and sled hockey exhibitions. Anyone wishing to try sled hockey should have ample opportunities to play.

Become a part of our organization by financially supporting or volunteering in any of our markets.  We hope to see you at our games.