Philadelphia Blind Hockey was founded in 2022 after students from the Overbrook School of the Blind partnered with the Philadelphia Flyers to give hockey a try.
The initiative was so successful that Kelsey McGuire, a teacher at the school, was asked by USA Hockey to start a regional blind team.
Now, she’s the group’s executive director.
Philadelphia Blind Hockey holds free weekly sessions for youth ages 4-17, teaching basic skating and hockey skills. Their work is possible thanks to fundraisers like the annual Blind Awareness Showcase, which raised $11,000 in 2024.
The event encourages skaters and hockey enthusiasts to wear low-vision simulators and blindfolds while they play, raising awareness about blindness and visual impairments.
“We like to allow those who are sighted to be put under low vision simulation so they understand what it’s like for our players to play hockey,” McGuire told The Reporter.
In 2024, over 100 participants joined the showcase, including members of local high school hockey teams, Philadelphia Blind Hockey coaches, and Philadelphia Flyers staff and alumni.
Their support made it possible for Philadelphia Blind Hockey to launch an adult team and give youth players the opportunity to play in their first competitive games.
The 2025 event took place on October 3, but it’s unclear how much this year’s showcase raised.
“I believe that no matter what your disability is, you should have the opportunity to participate in something,” McGuire added. “Blind hockey has shown that sport in general can be easily adapted.”
A version of this article was originally published in The 2025 Sports Edition of the Goodnewspaper.
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