Sports have always been a part of Ray Harding's life, but sled hockey didn't come into the picture until his then 8-year-old son Zach watched a game one afternoon.
"We went and watched it one day and not only Zach, but my wife and I instantly fell in love with it," he said. "From there it's been history."
Zach was born with spina bifida, which paralyzed him from the chest down.
Harding says sled hockey opened new doors for Zach and his family.
"As a parent for someone with a disability, you're always worried," he said. "Will he be accepted? Will he be able to fit in? This puts him on a level playing field. Once he gets out on the ice, he's basically an athlete. All of my players and all the players I've seen grow over the years, that's the way I consider them. They're true athletes, and it gives them a great camaraderie."
The Harding's introduction to sled hockey was over 20 years ago.
Now, Ray Harding is credited with growing the Mighty Penguins sled hockey organization from one team of eight players to 80 players on six teams.
"They always saw me in the stands and bringing Zach and being able to be there every week," he said. "The old tap on the shoulder saying 'hey, would you like to be involved?' I jumped right in on that one."
The Mighty Penguins are hosting their annual golf outing on June 26 at the Links at Spring Church. The event is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, UPMC, Jones Day, the International Hockey College and the Pitt Physical Therapy Doctoral Program.
Anyone interested in participating or donating can do so on the team's website.
