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CONGRATULATIONS TO U.S. PARALYMPIC SLED HOCKEY TEAM FOR WINNING 5TH STRAIGHT GOLD

3/21/2026

It's an incredible achievement. 5 straight gold medals -- 2026, 2022, 2018, 2014, 2010. Just Wow.

But what some people may not know is that 2 of the current Sled team -- Captain Josh Pauls and Defenseman Jack Wallace -- got their start with the Rangers program (when we were based in New Jersey and before we moved to New York), And Highest Point Record Holder Declan Farmer got his start with our local United Spinal chapter. Check out these amazing photos from the past!

The Goal Is More Than Gold

3/21/2026

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR VERY OWN AILIN!

AS NY SLED PLAYERS CELEBRATE THEIR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE, THEY KNOW THERE'S MORE WORK AHEAD OF THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR ULTIMATE DREAM

https://www.nysaha.com/news_article/show/1346676

Madison Eberhard remembers the early days in her sled hockey career, the challenging times when she and her teammates had to scratch and claw for hand-me-down uniforms and equipment and settle for any ice time that was available.
Things are never easy when you’re trying to build a program from the ice up, but that’s what the Buffalo native and her teammates were trying to do to advance their cause of creating a U.S. Women’s Sled Hockey Program.
It’s not that there weren’t supporters along the way. The sled hockey community in Western New York, among the most established in the country, was always there to open its doors to girls looking to find their way in the sport. And USA Hockey did what it could to provide resources to help get a women’s sled developmental program off the ice, creating camps and providing high-level coaches to help these passionate players improve their individual and team skills.
And still there were challenges out of their control. There was very little competition outside of North America as other countries were not nearly as committed to supporting women’s hockey, and sled hockey in particular.
Those camps and international competitions were few and far between for aspiring sled players like Eberhard, who wondered what her future in the game looked like.
These and many other thoughts came flooding back as she and her teammates joined the procession that wound through the streets of Dolny Kubin in Slovakia, the host site for the inaugural World Para Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship. Over the course of a half mile, local fans lined the streets to cheer on the competitors from six teams, including the U.S., Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Norway, and Team World, comprised of players from several nations.
“The opening ceremony was unlike anything we’ve ever been a part of,” Eberhard recalled. “Having all the countries line up and proceed into the town center where they had a concert, vendors, and hundreds of people from town who came out to support the tournament. Being surrounded by all those teams was just amazing because you know the effort they’ve put in to be there.”
Joining Eberhard on the U.S. squad was 21-year-old Ailin Zheng of Queens, who got her start in sled hockey as a 10-year-old when a friend from elementary school introduced her to the sport.
“I came out one weekend, tried the sport, and just fell in love with skating,” Zheng said.
With few girls in the sport, like Eberhard she too found her place competing on co-ed teams. It wasn’t until she heard that there was a program with like-minded females that her hockey dreams took off.
“Being able to play with a group of girls, that’s always not expected, at least in disabled sports because it’s very uncommon to have that big of a population to start a women’s team,” she said. “The fact that I would be able to compete at like the highest level really pushed me to make it one of my goals to make the team.”
Both Zheng and Eberhard have tried other adaptive sports, but nothing compared to sled hockey. Zheng has tried mono skiing, wheelchair pickleball, basketball and tennis. Eberhard has been a competitive rower, the only para-athlete at the West Side Rowing Club where she has helped spur a greater awareness for adaptive sports among the club members and others interested in getting involved. She has even competed in international competitions trying to help the U.S. earn a place in the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
Over the years the sled hockey team has played in several smaller international competitions, usually dominating the competition in a similar way as the men’s program has done in recent years.
That international streak of excellence continued in Slovakia as the U.S. women cruised through the competition, surrendering only one goal in four tournament games, a 7-1 decision against Canada in the gold-medal game.
With a packed house cheering on all the teams, the gold-medal ceremony was more of a celebration for the sport and an acknowledgement of all the hard work and long hours these women have put in to bring the sport to where it is today.
“It’s really just thinking about all of those things and stepping outside of yourself and feeling grateful that I have this opportunity to compete at this level,” Eberhard said after the gold medal was placed around her neck. “Hopefully I can expand on it and make it better than what it was when I started in it and give future girls the opportunity to do something like this.”
“It was probably the best game I’ve ever played in, honestly,” Zheng added. “Just the celebration when we were counting down the last few seconds of the third period and just skating as hard as possible to our goalie and celebrating with her, it was amazing. And then lining up and singing the national anthem all together, I don’t even know how to describe it. It was so cool.”
As they basked in the golden glow of the moment with their teammates and support staff, they were barraged by congratulatory texts from family and friends who watched the streamed games back home. At the same time, they know that the hard work is still ahead of them as they look to achieve an even bigger goal of making women’s sled hockey a Paralympic sport.
They know that is no small task. According to Eberhard, the Paralympic charter says that there need to be eight competitive teams from different countries playing by 2027. That’s just to be able to put in a bid to be added to the 2030 program in France. They know that there are challenges well beyond their control.
While USA Hockey has continued to proudly support women’s sled hockey, there are plenty of other countries who do not have the resources or the resolve to expand their programs, especially under such an intense time crunch.
“We’re really grateful for what USA Hockey provides for us to be at this tournament,” Eberhard said. “We know that that’s not the same for these other teams. We talked with Australia who did an on-ice fundraiser where they sat in their sleds and skated for 12 hours overnight to raise money to be there.
“We know the dedication that it takes out of each member of these teams. Just looking around and knowing that made the moment so special because they’re all there on their own dime.”
As the Paralympic countdown clock continues to tick, both women are moving on with their lives outside of the rink. Zheng relocated to Boston after graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in nursing, while Eberhard completed her undergraduate studies at Canisius College and is currently working on her master’s degree.
The gold medals that they proudly display at home serve as a testament to all the hard work and sacrifices they’ve put in along the way, and also a reminder of how far they have to go to achieve not only their dream but the dreams of female sled hockey players around the world.
“Being on this team and being a part of starting it and getting it to where it is, I really want to be there competing in the Paralympics,” Eberhard said. “We’ve come so far, and we’ve gone through so much that I really want to be a part of that team that gets to the Paralympics. That’s the goal for the future.”

Sled Rangers At USA Development Camp

9/29/2025

So proud of Nick, Jake, Gabe, and Timmy. You guys are absolute stars!

Our Own Ailin Zheng Featured at USA Hockey

5/27/2025

https://teamusa.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1339880

Once Ailin Zheng Tried Sled Hockey, She Never Wanted to Stop Playing
By Jason Stromberg, 05/27/25, 1:00PM EDT

A friend in elementary school helped change Ailin Zheng’s life forever when she was 10 years old.

Zheng’s friend, Max, played sled hockey, and his parents asked Zheng if she would like to go to a local rink in Queens, New York, and try the sport.

That invitation came four years after Zheng had been diagnosed with transverse myelitis — a rare neurological condition caused by inflammation in the spinal cord — which left her paralyzed from the waist down.

Zheng’s parents were “a little bit iffy,” she said of her playing, “but once I got out there, I realized I wanted to keep playing.”

Not only did Zheng keep playing, but she became a local star for the Northeast Passage Wildcats team at the University of New Hampshire.

“They have a really good sled hockey program. There have been a lot of athletes that train for the national team there,” Zheng, 21, said. “I remember I wanted to play at the highest level, so I just kept working hard, and eventually got to where I wanted to be.”

Zheng has been playing at the highest level the sport has to offer since she participated in the inaugural Women’s World Challenge in 2022. In fact, she made history by scoring the first goal in that event’s history while playing for Team World, a squad that included players from a variety of countries.

Zheng eventually earned her way onto the U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team, helping the Americans win their third straight Women’s World Challenge in 2024.
Throughout her international experiences, Zheng hopes to honor her Asian heritage and continue to see the sport grow around the world.

“Celebrating Asians in USA Hockey is an important opportunity to honor the history, culture and contributions of our heritage and the different natives, heritages and communities in our sport,” Zheng said. “It’s going to help create more access for other communities to have other players seen and supported. Right now, we are trying to grow the sport in other countries to be able to compete in the Paralympics. The men’s team is in, the women’s team isn’t. That’s a common goal.”

Catherine Faherty plays with Zheng on the Wildcats and on the U.S. development team. Faherty pointed out that almost nothing can take away Zheng’s joy when she’s one the ice.

“She’s always positive, always smiling and laughing. She brings great energy,” Faherty, 20, said. “She even comes out of taking hits on the ice with a smile. Anyone that knows her would say that.”

Faherty not only admires Zheng on the ice, but off it as well. Zheng graduated from New Hampshire this year with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Faherty, who just finished her sophomore year, is going for the same degree at UMass Lowell.

“She’s a great teammate on and off the ice,” Faherty said. “She’s been a person that I can look up to. Being a part of the same nursing school is really cool because I can ask her questions. She’s more than willing to help out with school and hockey.”

Matt McGilvray has been coaching the Wildcats program since August 2014. He vividly remembers when Zheng suited up for him for the first time.

“She was coming whether we liked it or not,” McGilvray said. “She showed up at one of our practices four years ago as a freshman and we didn’t know a whole lot about her before she got here. We just know that former players who recommended her said that she could play.”

Zheng was fully prepared for college life, as she had her living situation and classes all detailed out on a spreadsheet. On the ice, though, McGilvray noticed how nervous she was.

“When she first got on the ice, she had that deer in the headlights look,” McGilvray said. “This was a step up from what she was accustomed to on the club level. Once she gained confidence, she picked up everything pretty quick and belonged. She’s the youngest kid we ever had.”

Zheng’s favorite hockey memories vary from camaraderie with her teammates to massive achievements on the ice. She cherishes singing “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus in the locker room with her Northeast Passage teammates before games, and she’ll always remember winning the Women’s World Challenge title with the U.S. in Norway last year.

McGilvray’s favorite memory of Zheng was watching her score the game-winning goal in the 2021 Sled Classic while representing the Boston Bruins.

“It’s cool to see her get rewarded. She’s a super positive kid,” McGilvray said. “She’s an aggressive player that isn’t scared to get in the mix, no matter the size of the players on the ice. I’m proud of her that she has gotten the experience to play at a more competitive level. She’s taken advantage of her opportunities.”

Breakaway 2024

6/1/2024

Harry Thompson wrote this article for the New York State Amateur Hockey Association, and was published in their online magazine. The link can be found here:

https://www.nysaha.com/news_article/show/1305146

It’s a beautiful March evening in New York City as springlike temperatures coax locals away from the hustle and bustle of the city streets and into the lush oasis of Central Park.

As some enjoy a leisurely stroll under the stars, the sound of laughter and cheers fills the air above Wollman Rink as members of the WSF New York Sled Rangers are impressing nearly 400 onlookers with their prowess to propel themselves across the ice, deftly stickhandling pucks and snapping shots into nets set up around the rink.

Indeed, Harry. Indeed.

2023 National Wheelchair Tennis Champion

1/27/2024

One of the U.S.'s most talented young wheelchair tennis players closed out 2023 by making a big statement. Sixteen-year-old Max Wong from Bayside, N.Y. not only won the top junior title at November's national championships, but the co-ed adult division, too.

Though he came into the field unseeded, Wong was the class of the co-ed junior 'A' division field at the America Wheelchair Tennis Championships, held from Nov. 16-19 in McDonough, Ga., as he dropped just five games in six sets—which included a 6-1, 6-0 victory over No. 2 seed Spencer Davis in the semifinals. In the final, Wong toppled Colorado's Sabina Czauz, who beat No. 1 seed Zane Goodwin in the semis, 6-2, 6-0.

His win in the co-ed 'A' adult division, though, proved much more of a surprise. After two straight-set wins in the first two rounds, where he dropped a combined three games, Wong won a pair of titantic three-setters in the semifinals and final to take the event's top gold ball back home to Queens.

We are so proud of you Max. Keep up the great work.

Click here for the full story

Sled Rangers are 2023 Tier II Youth Champs

5/1/2023

You can watch the entire championship game here!

also, this: www.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1269421

Goodbye Coach Rox - We will miss you

9/14/2022

It's hard to put into words how much Coach Rox has meant to this program. Luckily, we put together this little goodbye video so Rox can remember, and so can we. Rox, you will always be part of the Sled Ranger family. We love you.

I just watched the wonderful video. Thank you all so much. It has been my honor to have been with this program for so many amazing years and to be part of a sled family that I will cherish forever.

I started coaching with Steph so many years ago because we were bored and generally just liked to be at the rink. And then I'm just a little competitive :) so I wanted the team to win and to feel what success is. And then I witnessed what it means to support and encourage players - and the joy it brings to all involved and how that translates into a hockey family. We've had some truly special families in our program.

I am so grateful for having found this program and being able to coach this group. Thank you all for the wonderful well wishes and Go Rangers! (Except if they have to play the Lightning in the playoffs)

Sincerely,
Coach Rox

Farewell Coach Rox

5/29/2022

Coach Rox first came to us in 2015 and has been an integral part of our program ever since. She has been an amazing role model for our sled ranger athletes. She has motivated them, encouraged them, pushed them, and taught them. Most of all, anyone can see how much she loves them. Rox has made these athletes better hockey players and better kids. Rox, we will miss you, but you will always be part of our sled ranger. family. Thank you to Melanie for putting together this video tribute.

Ailin and CAF

4/13/2022

It's always terrific to see our athletes grow up and become amazing adults. Ailin started skating with us when she was 10 years old. Here she is, getting a CAF grant for a custom sled. Congratulations Ailin!