Karsten Backlund

The MN Warriors Ice Hockey Program has been organized to operate exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, for wounded, injured, or otherwise disabled veterans of the United States Military, in conjunction with the USA Disabled Hockey Program. The Program's mission is to organize and administer an ice hockey program that provides a recreational, therapeutic experience and education to its participants. The program educates, trains, motivates, and encourages, individuals who have physical disabilities incurred during service to the United States, to participate in the sport of ice hockey in an environment that is adapted to the level of ability of the participating athletes. It is designed to integrate people with disabilities with people without disabilities in order to promote awareness of challenges and to encourage team building; The program uses the game of hockey to assist individuals with disabilities in developing self-confidence, adjusting to their new lifestyle, rehabilitation, self-reliance, concentration, and to assist in helping participants back into mainstream lifestyles they were accustomed to prior to their disability, that will help the individual be more successful both within and outside a hockey environment.