AJ Gonzales of the Wings of Steel takes a shot on goal during an exhibition sled hockey game against his classmates on the Gloucester Catholic High School ice hockey team on March 22 at the Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees.
The game of sled hockey gives individuals with physical limitations a chance to play on the ice.
It was created in the early 1960s at a rehabilitation center in Sweden, and by 1994, became an official medal event in the Paralympics. Swedish athletes designed a sled with two skate blades. Players use their sticks for shooting and steering, and there is room for the puck to go underneath the sled.
The game quickly gained popularity worldwide, and on March 15, the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team defeated Canada, 6-2, to win its fifth consecutive gold medal at the Milan winter games. That earned the nation a triple crown of gold medals in men’s, women’s and para ice hockey within a two-month period.
Gloucester Catholic High School freshman AJ Gonzales has been playing sled hockey for eight years, and on March 22 at the Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, he got the chance to compete against his classmates on the Rams ice hockey team in an exhibition match.
“This is phenomenal and absolutely amazing,” said AJ’s mom, Kristi Gonzales, who greeted guests and sold T-shirts at the game along with Annette Alegret, Kat O’Connor, Lillie Valeriano and Alexis Popp to support AJ’s Wings of Steel sled hockey team.
Kristi Gonzales noted that AJ asked high-school coach Mike Geary if his team would play the Wings of Steel in an exhibition sled hockey game, and he agreed.
Gonzales’ team dominated the Rams, who had trouble getting around and staying balanced on the ice and chuckled at their own struggles. There was true sportsmanship all around, and AJ scored the first goal.
The game started with a moment of silence for Matt and Johnny Gaudreau, who led Gloucester Catholic to the South Jersey ice hockey championship in 2010 under the tutelage of their father, Guy Gaudreau; and for Tom Brake, the founder of Wings of Steel, whose motto was “No child pays to play,” according to his daughter, Lori Kile.
“I’m so excited,” said Kile, who is president of the Wings of Steel. “This helps raise awareness for adaptive sports like sled hockey.”
The “hockey for a cause” game was attended by some 200 fans and raised money to support both the Wings of Steel and the high-school’s ice hockey programs. In a unique and inspiring twist, both teams took the ice playing sled hockey, highlighting the spirit of inclusion and community, school administrators said.
“Among those especially excited for the game was Gonzales, who was diagnosed at 2½ years old with Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP), an ultra-rare condition in which the body forms bone where it shouldn’t, within muscles, tendons, and ligaments,” the administrators noted.
“AJ was looking forward to the opportunity to compete against some of his high-school classmates and share the sport he enjoys.”
The young freshman for Bellmawr said, “It’s a fun opportunity for new people to try the sport.”
His teammates on the Wings of Steel from all over South Jersey include Colten Haas, Leina Beseler, Michael Johnson, Lily Corrigan, Autumn Donzuso, Shane Philipps, Colin Wiederholt, Mikayla Johnson, Logan Marmino, Jack Ashby, Trevor Gregoire, Logan Ashby, Laurel Jastrzembski, Colton Naylor and Andrew Carmen. The other coaches are Norm Jones, Rico Gonzales, Steven Belcher and Parker O’Connor.
The organization’s mission statement is as follows:
“Founded by Tom Brake, Wings of Steel is dedicated to providing every child – regardless of their physical abilities or financial situation – the opportunity to experience the thrill of competitive sled hockey. We believe in the power of sport to transform lives, build character and create lasting memories.”
The players had a lot of fun against the Gloucester Catholic team, and the Wings of Steel are quite skilled: They took the USA Sled Hockey Championship in 2024 and 2025.
Playing ice hockey on a sled were members of the Rams team, including Sebastian Lavini, Bobby DeTurk, Will Cox, Illia Buranov, Shane Thornton, Alana Bellan, Cole Burns, Nolan Doyle, Andrew Gadzinski, Christian Gomez, Cole Pastor, Nicholas Kolodzey, John Stanton, Richie Geiser, Afansil Kislykh, Chad Niederman, Justin Martone, Roman Motskin, Brendan Doohan and Michael Regan.
Selling shirts to support the Wings of Steel sled hockey team before an exhibition match against the Gloucester Catholic High School ice hockey team on March 22 were Annette Alegret (left to right), Kristi Gonzales, Kat O’Connor, Lillie Valeriano and Alexis Popp.
