HAMILTON — Colgate Men's Hockey Head Coach Mike Harder had the opportunity to coach the Reno Ice team at the Toyota Sled Hockey Nationals this past weekend in West Chester, Pa.
 
One of the most popular Winter Paralympic sports, sled hockey, known internationally as para ice hockey, is an adaptation of ice hockey for players who have physical limitations.
 
Harder was a member of the group that established sled hockey in Reno, Nev. while living in the area back in 2021.
 
"Although I was not around for practices during the season, I was honored when they asked me to coach them at Nationals this past weekend," he said.
 
Over 1,080 players across 60 teams from around the country competed in the tournament across nine different tiers, including six adult and three youth classifications.
 
"Sled Hockey is a fast-paced, full-contact, adrenaline-fueled sport, but the best part is the peer-to-peer mentoring and connecting on and off the ice," Harder added.
 
Reno Ice played three games in the Adult Tier 6 Pool A classification, battling hard against tough competition and having fun along the way. 
 
"Even though we didn't place in the tournament if there had been an award for most social, our team would have taken home the hardware."