The Southern Connecticut Storm special hockey team allows kids with a variety of disabilities to be a part of a team atmosphere while getting to live out their hockey dreams on the ice. The benefits of this organization are instantly visible as soon as the player steps onto the ice and displays a huge smile! The Storm gives these kids a team atmosphere, confidence building skills, and friendships that will last a lifetime. I’ve been involved with special hockey for the past 10 years and I’m so happy that there are great volunteers and organizers who spare their time to keep these programs going. They deserve all the support they can get to keep these kids active and having fun in a team environment. Matt Carkner
15 years ago, I had no idea what Storm would mean to me. These families are my own. I have watched so many players through the years grow, succeed, gain valuable life skills, just by learning and playing hockey. We’ve been blessed with amazing coaches and helpers, all committed to changing the life of each and every child who has come through our program. Proud of this program doesn’t begin to describe the success we’ve witnessed. We are all honored to be a part of it.
my daughter, Ava, would not have the balance or coordination she has without hockey. When we started, she never had had been on the ice in her life. The coaches and the administration are absolutely AMAZING. The high school mentors absolutely make the program. These kids are 1:1 with the players and have patience and empathy. The kids feel empowered and they have fun. I cannot express how much this team has meant to our family. The parents, the coaches, the other players and the mentors are the absolute best. So grateful, will do anything and everything to get this team the money and the equipment they need to continue to serve the community!! GO STORM!!!
I thank God for Debbie McQuilkin for founding and maintaining the Connecticut Storm Special Hockey program; and, for all of the coaches, assistants, and parents, and John and Mike Ferguson, who operate the hockey rink.
I have three sons on the autism spectrum who participate; my wife and I are very grateful for what Storm Hockey has done for them. Storm Hockey has been therapeutic with regard to their physical and mental development, not to mention the joy it brings them.
Practice is almost every Sunday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. October to March at the Wonderland of Ice in Bridgeport.
Come and experience the joy!
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This is a very special nonprofit for its love and devotion to children and adults with special needs.
The physical, mental, and social development of the children and adult participants in this nonprofit's hockey-related activities is extraordinary.
You have to attend one of the hockey practices or games conduced by the dedicated coaches and assistants to experience the joy.
My name is Brandon I played with storm since 2008 to 2018 I had fun I was captain of the team I lead them as leader and role model . I love storm make great friend on the way.
Absolutely the best special hockey program around. From the parents, the parent volunteers, the coaches and administrators, a top notch program for the kids.
This organization has changed my son's life. He has really developed skills of responsiblity and teamwork. Not just hockey skills. The coaches and mentors are just amazing with these children and adults as well as all the parent/volunteers, Debbie, and the staff/owners of Wonderland of Ice. It's a huge group effort and everyone has a hand in it.
Storm has had a huge impact on my 24 year old son, who has been a part of the team for about 9 years. It’s taught him many things, from the obvious like learning to skate to the not so obvious, empathy & compassion for others, self confidence, etc. Not only has he made friends and feels like he belongs and that he is part of a team, we too have have made friends and feel like we belong. We love our Storm family!!
Our grandson joined the team in its first year and what he has learned, in addition to skating, cannot be measured. Our Coaches are the best, taking into consideration each child’s temperament and needs. Five stars are not enough! Sallie and Yalcin Ozay
For years my son asked to play hockey, and for years I didn't pursue for him because I wasn't sure he was ready to commit to such a sport. This, I have to say, after getting him involved in Southern Connecticut Storm Special Hockey, is my greatest regret. He loves it. During the season he counts down to when he can play again. At the end of the season he asks when it will start again. He's committed, and they understand him. They give him all the right tools, and guidance to help him succeed, and he has a great time doing it. He's made some great friends along the way too. As for my husband and I, we love the community it provides. This is an amazing group, and we highly recommend it.
Storm has truly been life changing for my son with Autism. He started Storm at 6 years old with no skating experience. I was unsure that he would even put in the equipment. Since day 1 Storm has been a success. When school and home felt like an unmanageable battle Storm was there to help him become a teammate and build on his strengths. Storm has even inspired his two sisters to start playing hockey!
Since I did not have any family, friends, or acquaintances with special needs, I had no idea what to expect when I volunteered to become a Storm coach. Other than my experiences with my own family, this has been the best experience of my life. It changed my life!
I have been blessed to play hockey for nearly 50 years and still play on 2 teams, but this is so much better. The players and their families are amazing! I look forward to Sunday practices every week and dearly miss them during the off-season.
I can't fairly describe how incredible it is to see the joy on a player's face when he or she accomplishes something that they never thought possible. For some players it is simply standing on the ice on their own, and for others it's scoring their 1st goal in a game.
As the manager of our Mentors (junior coaches), I am also fortunate to hear the never-ending appreciation from our parents and players for how Storm has a positive impact on all involved, both on and off the ice.
Storm is successfully because of the caring and dedication of our community - off-ice volunteers, coaches, Mentors, and donors. All of them working together have created a unique opportunity for our players and their families to enjoy the great sport of ice hockey, their teammates, friends, and other families.
I've been in Storm for 3 years as a mentor and also goalie coach. Every practice I'm hanging out with my family it feels like. Especially the first season I got to know them real close. I got to know each kid really personally and they've become my best friends. I've been hanging out with them even outside of practices and games, going to public skates, getting pizza or different things. These guys have been my family and will always be my family. When I hangout with them I never even recognize them to be different to me, I just see them as a normal person as I am.
I always wanted to teach kids how to play ice hockey and storm has been the best experience through it all. During practices I get to teach kids the basics while always having a good laugh with them doing some fun drills or things. During the games I help out the goalies as sort of like a play by play announcer giving them little tips and where the puck is and all. It happened to actually be Carlo's idea, one of the goalies.
Storm has been my life since I started it and I could never lose it. I love storm a lot!!!
Southern CT Storm uses the game of ice hockey to teach life skills to children and young adults. Building lasting friendships, physical skills and empowering developmentally disabled athletes in a safe, nurturing hockey environment. Storm is a member of American Special Hockey Association and USA Hockey.