TAMPA, FL. – After moving to Tampa from Florida’s east coast a few years ago, Ryan Patrick wanted to find a place to play hockey. With help from Facebook and a neighbor, he found out about a team in Brandon.
One thing led to another and Patrick, an Apollo Beach resident, became the executive director of the Tampa Warriors.
“It found me instead of me finding it,” said the 42-year-old native New Yorker, who played in high school and a little in college while attending Western New England University in Springfield, Mass. “Ever since, I have been skating with the Warriors pretty much every week.”
Five teams of various skill levels comprise the Tampa Warriors Hockey Program, Inc., a non-profit devoted to disabled military veterans like Patrick. The Warriors, who were formed in 2017 and incorporated January 1, 2020, have about 140 participants. Three teams play at the TGH Ice Plex in Brandon and two teams compete at the AdventHealth Center Ice complex in Wesley Chapel. Each team plays within an adult league at their home rink.
“Our organization is designed to get veterans out of their homes through the sport of hockey,” said Patrick, who rose to colonel before retiring after 20 years of service in the U.S. Army. “Some veterans may have trouble speaking to people who have not had the same experience as them. So being in the locker room with each other in and of itself is almost like a therapy session for some of our members. That is really the secret sauce.”
It also underscores the Warriors’ mission. Skill level? It does not matter. The Tampa Warriors have players who had never laced up the skates before and have players with some collegiate experience, and even a team member who played professionally overseas.
“The organization is designed to get people together,” said Patrick, who played whenever he could while serving. “The goal is to get as many Warriors on the ice as possible.”
That goal is being realized. The Warriors have players from Jacksonville, Melbourne and Naples among other parts of the state. There are two monthly practices that are mostly for beginners, and open practices when anybody can partake. Patrick noted that there are typically 60-70 Warriors on the ice every week whether it is practicing, participating in games or both.
The organization also sends teams to local and out-of-town tournaments.
Two teams and about 30 Warriors traveled to Las Vegas on Veterans Day weekend there to participate in the Armed Services Hockey Association Tournament.
“We really explore just about every opportunity to get Warriors on the ice,” said Patrick, who, with his son Emerson, skated at Amalie Arena prior to the Lightning’s game against Carolina on Military Appreciation Night earlier this season. “Honestly, we will play anybody, depending on skill level.”
The Warriors are active off the ice as well. Patrick said he encourages all members to volunteer within the community. To that extent, he noted that members logged more than 800 hours of volunteer service in 2020 and more than 1,000 hours last year.
Community events in which the Warriors have participated range from pulling trash out of waterways to helping the Lightning instruct and coach youths. Each of the past three years a handful of members have worked with Wreaths Across America, which honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“It spans the full spectrum of what we encourage our members to do so that they can feel like they are part of something bigger again,” said Patrick. “When they were in the military, they wanted to help or feel like they were part of something, or doing something for the greater good. This is another outlet where they can have that experience again.”
Thanks to its many sponsors and supporters, the Warriors are able to fend largely for themselves. For instance, team members who traveled to Vegas had to pay only for airfare.
Patrick spoke highly of the help Raymond James Financial has provided through the firm’s Valor Inclusion Network and how helpful the Lightning have been in providing space for the Warriors to set up tables during games at Amalie Arena so that the organization can spread awareness and sell merchandise.
“We have become self-sustaining and are fortunate to have lots of great sponsors and supporters in the community and beyond,” said Patrick. “We are able to afford to put equipment on the backs of new players and can afford to send teams across the country to play with other disabled veterans.”
To learn more about the Warriors and how you can help, visit tampawarriors.com.
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