A hockey program that began 15 years ago in … where else? Minnesota, continues to grow and a new team in North Dakota is ready to drop the puck.
Warrior Hockey
The North Dakota Warriors will suit up for their first game against the St. Cloud (Minnesota) Warriors on Saturday at the 2025 Warrior Hockey Fall Classic at the West Fargo Sports Arena in West Fargo, North Dakota. Face off is set for 3 p.m. and admission is free. Following Saturday’s game, fans will have a chance to meet and chat with the players.
While admission to Saturday’s game is free, donations are accepted, providing support to cover rink fees, travel costs and equipment purchases for the players. The organization is also looking for volunteers who wish to help support the program.
The Warrior Hockey organization is part of USA Hockey’s Disabled Hockey Program, which provides opportunities to compete on the ice for disabled military veterans. Veterans often leave the military lost, vainly searching for a sense of purpose.
According to the North Dakota Warriors website, Warrior Hockey helps veterans, “Rebuild teamwork, structure, and purpose through the game of hockey, channeling the same drive and intensity that fueled their time in uniform.”
Expanding into North Dakota allows Warrior Hockey to continue its goal of providing additional opportunities for veterans to play adaptive hockey. Another objective is to help veterans reintegrate into civilian life. The program’s core mission is “rooted in charity and education,” according to ndwarriors.com.
Besides offering a healthy outlet for hockey players, the team’s goal is to develop on-ice camaraderie, fostering a sense of belonging that helps veterans regain confidence and a positive identity. Through scheduled practices and drills, veterans hone their on-ice skills through systems that also build confident players. Warrior Hockey also tries to tailor its program to fit specific player needs.
Established in the ‘State of Hockey’
Since its first season in 2011, Warrior Hockey has grown to include several teams across Minnesota, with the North Dakota program being the first outside the “State of Hockey.”
Through the years, the program has seen the benefits of giving veterans a healthy outlet to grapple with depression and anxiety.
“These challenges find their most effective solutions through peer-to-peer support, and this journey of empowerment begins on the ice, eventually radiating out to positively impact the participant’s family, community, and workplace,” according to a mission statement on the Minnesota Warriors’ website.
Physical activity can work as a therapeutic tool to anyone struggling with mental health. For disabled veterans, hockey can push them to their physical limits, allowing their mind to focus on the game instead of outside noises.
Players also regain the satisfaction of teamwork and completing a mission that’s so ingrained in their military experience.
Building Bonds Through Hockey
“Warriors brought me into a family I didn’t know I needed,” said goalie Isaac Lessard on the organization’s Facebook page.
When Lessard joined Warrior Hockey, he expected to find veterans going through some of the same everyday pressures he was dealing with. While that aspect came naturally, he also discovered something he didn’t expect to find – a brotherhood.
“Here I am surrounded by a brotherhood and a group that supports one another in every way you could imagine,” Lessard said. “I am very proud to say that Warriors Hockey gave me a sense of belonging again.”
The program also teaches veterans with little to no hockey experience how to play a rigorous game.
“Hockey is hard to learn and hard to play. Playing hockey with the Warriors has given me a challenge, purpose, and a sense of identity that I’ve been lacking since leaving the service,” Peyton Young said on the Minnesota Warriors Hockey Facebook page. “It’s also given me a locker room full of great people with shared experiences. All of this has helped me control my PTSD in a healthy and productive way.”
Warrior Hockey operates as a 501(c3) entity and does accept donations.
“This team has uplifted my spirits and gives me something to look forward to,” said player RC Kemp.
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