PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — On the eve of Veterans Day, the Flyers Warriors found themselves on the big screen at Wells Fargo Center during the first period of the Philadelphia Flyers-Toronto Maple Leafs game.
They were packed in a luxury suite, invited by Claude Giroux and the Flyers and being recognized for Military Appreciation Night.
And in the shot of them in the box were three large trophy cups that they captured in the USA Hockey Warrior Classic this past weekend in South Jersey.
"There was a lot of tears," Flyers Warriors coach and former Flyers defenseman Brad Marsh said, "from some of the players that have overcome a lot to play hockey and overcome a lot to be a part of the organization."
The Flyers Warriors is a hockey program affiliated with the Flyers, for disabled veterans. They were the hosts of this past weekend's Warrior Classic, where over 400 disabled vets from all over the country come together to play hockey. They had three teams in tournaments of different skill levels.
Marsh called it icing on the cake that they all won titles.
"These guys wanted it," he said. "They worked hard for it. Not that other teams didn't work hard for it, but we've worked hard for it for years. This has been our goal."
Marsh said the event went off without a hitch throughout the weekend in terms of how the event was run, and that it also put Warrior Hockey and the Flyers Warriors on the map because of the attention it received.
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"It will become part of the conversation. 'Do you hear what the Warriors are doing? Do you know about the Warriors? These Vets, they're disabled and they're playing hockey,' and they'll get to understand the program," Marsh added.
"Yes, we have three championship trophies, but more importantly, we have a program that is changing lives."
