The Twin Cities non-profit organization has a simple slogan – “hockey changes lives.”
The Hendrickson Foundation is run by ex-Minnesota Wild assistant coach and player Darby Hendrickson, his brother Danny and their sister Kristen. They were at the National Sports Center in late May and early June staging their eighth annual hockey festival that allows disabled individuals to play a sport they love.
“We’ve got sled hockey, special hockey, deaf and hard of hearing, blind and low vision and then warrior hockey,” said Danny Hendrickson. “We support people with disabilities, but the truth is at this event we’re focused on their abilities. We’re talking about elite sled players.”
Hockey hub
The NSC definitely was a hockey hub as it was pure pucks for three days.
“This is an incredible event,” said Jake Erickson of Elk River, whose son Austin plays on the Minnesota Wild youth sled hockey team.
There were 82 teams, 1400 athletes and a total of 144 games played at the festival.
Said Danny Hendrickson: “There are teams from Alaska to Florida and everywhere in between.”
“I am so thankful that we found out about this and the Hendrickson family have been amazing supporters, said Tessa Belker of Dayton whose daughter Navaya is also on the Wild sled hockey team. “Even when we go on the road they support us. They make it possible for these kids to have fun and have another family.”
“It’s awesome,” Erickson said. “We came about five years ago when he was three years old and saw what a cool event it is and how well it’s run…It’s a way that they get to connect with other kids that are going through a lot of the same things that they are going through.”
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