JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It may look like a rec league hockey game and you may not think much of it at first glance. But take a look at the jerseys of one team.
The Jacksonville Icemen Warriors are a hockey organization for veterans.
“We use hockey as an outlet to help deal with our emotional and physical conditions,” Icemen Warriors founder and vice president Dave Wezniak said.
The organization is a suicide prevention program. On average, 22 veterans commit suicide a day, according to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.
“We’ve been able to step in and help them out and give them a purpose back in life,” Icemen Warriors president Eric Kennedy said. “If we can stop just one, that’s more than enough that we can do.”
The Warriors have 85 players on the team ranging from 21 to 65 years old. It is one of the largest veteran warriors groups in Florida.
“It gives us a chance to be able to be around other fellow veterans, help each other out in a time of crisis and get out in the community and help others,” Kennedy said.
They usually compete against other veteran hockey teams around the southeast. But for the first time, the Jacksonville Icemen Warriors are taking a trip up north to compete in the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series Veteran’s Showcase. Jacksonville was chosen as one of four teams from around the country — out of hundreds of teams that applied.
“It’s been absolutely amazing and very rewarding because I’ve seen people go from a really dark spot in their lives to being uplifted and really wanting to be a part of the community again,” Wezniak said.
The Icemen Warriors have applied to compete in the event for the past three years. Now, the team is heading to New Jersey this month for an all-expenses-paid invitational tournament. They will have a chance to meet other veterans, share their stories, and be reminded that they are never alone.
”When you get to that point when you feel as though you are alone, to know that there is somebody out there and they know that they can rely on you and give you a call and share some of their stories with you and know that you’ve got their backs no matter what no questions asked,” Kennedy said. “It’s just an awesome feeling.”
Having this opportunity for local veterans was not possible until 2020 when Wezniak started the organization. Last year, they received 501(c)(3) status.
“I lost a friend, P.F.C. Hicks, who committed suicide,” Wezniak said. “Ever since then, I had struggled. I found a program while I was living in Massachusetts that is just like this that saved my life and brought me out of the dark spot. So, I felt like while I was down here I had to do something like that here as well.”
The organization’s next goal is to start a developmental program to teach veterans how to play hockey. Any veteran can join and you don’t have to have prior hockey experience.
“You just have to have a passion to be part of a team,” Wezniak said.
If you are wondering about the similarity of the team’s name, they do partner with the Jacksonville Icemen. Anytime the Icemen have a Wednesday home night game, the Warriors play in the afternoon. It’s called “Warrior Wednesdays.” The Icemen also donate their portion of the 50/50 raffle to the Warriors organization.
“It means everything,” Kennedy said. “Without them we can’t do this. I mean we can do it, but we won’t be on the ice. Ice time is very expensive.”
Visit the Jacksonville Icemen Warriors website: jacksonvilleicemenwarriors.com to learn how to join the team.