Cincinnati IceBreakers Sled Hockey

What Cincinnati IceBreakers Sled Hockey does

Cincinnati IceBreakers Sled Hockey is a registered Ohio nonprofit (EIN 85-3604639) founded in 2007 that operates an adaptive ice hockey program for youth and adults with physical impairments preventing them from skating in a standing position. The program is delivered at Queen City Sportsplex in Cincinnati with weekly Monday evening practices, serving more than 40 players ranging in age from 5 to over 70 across separate youth (September to March) and adult (September to April) seasons. It is described as the only sled hockey program within 100 miles of Cincinnati, and players progress through recreational and competitive pathways, with alumni having reached the USA National Para Hockey Team and USA Women's Para Ice Hockey team.

The core product is the sled hockey program itself, built on adaptive sleds equipped with ice skate blades and two hockey sticks with picks for propulsion, with optional pusher assistance for players with limited mobility. Equipment is loaned to participants at no cost. The organization has layered on the IRON CORE Adapted Strength and Conditioning program, an eight-session curriculum developed in 2018 by named PT and DPT clinicians and delivered by coaching staff sourced from University of Cincinnati and Mount St. Joseph University students, with pre- and post-testing across endurance, strength, power, balance, core strength, and speed. Two annual events anchor competitive play: the Flying Puck Sled Tournament in January and the Legends and Legacies Festival in March, with regional tournament travel across Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Tennessee.

The business model is donation, sponsorship, and grant funded, with participation offered free to first-season players and with equipment and scholarships ensuring no one is turned away for financial reasons. Revenue streams include individual donations, an annual fundraising event, corporate sponsorships (FEG Investment Advisors, MedMart, Norwood Firefighters Association, Flying Pig Marathon), foundation grants (Alvin and Josephine Levine Foundation, August A. Rendigs Jr. and Helen Rendigs Foundation, Magnified Giving, Rotary Club of Cincinnati), and the Cincinnati Cyclones Foundation. Operational expenses are disclosed at approximately $69,000 per year across ice rental, sleds, protective gear, and tournament costs, with the organization also extending into a Cincinnati Blind Hockey vertical in partnership with the Clovernook Center for the Visually Impaired and Blind.

Name

Cincinnati IceBreakers Sled Hockey

Legal name

Cincinnati Sled Hockey

Website

https://cincinnatisledhockey.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Cincinnati IceBreakers Sled Hockey is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit that delivers free adaptive sled hockey programming to over 40 youth and adult players with physical disabilities, supported by donations, sponsorships, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adaptive Sports and Recreation

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Rinks & Winter Sports Facilities (MPAKAEAG)

Keywords

• Adaptive ice hockey
• Sled hockey program
• Para hockey training
• Adaptive sports program
• Disabled athlete development

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization raises funds through annual fundraising events, donations from individuals, and grant applications to keep participation costs minimal or free for players.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Support from corporate sponsors including FEG Investment Advisors, MedMart, Norwood Firefighters Association, Flying Pig Marathon, and others who fund equipment, ice rental, and tournament costs.
3. Grant Funding: Annual grant funding including NHLPA grant ($10K received in 2009), support from foundations like Alvin and Josephine Levine Foundation, August A. Rendigs Jr. and Helen Rendigs Foundation, and Magnified Giving to offset program costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cincinnati IceBreakers Sled Hockey delivers an adaptive ice hockey program for youth and adults with physical impairments preventing standing skating. Players use modified sleds with skate blades and two hockey sticks with picks for propulsion. The program provides weekly practices, equipment lending, coaching by USA Hockey-registered staff, recreational and competitive play options, and the IRON CORE adapted strength and conditioning program.

Product overview

Cincinnati IceBreakers Sled Hockey operates as a nonprofit adaptive ice hockey organization offering a core sled hockey program for youth and adults with physical disabilities. The program is structured around a main season (September-March for youth, September-April for adults) with weekly Monday evening practices at Queen City Sportsplex. Supporting services include the IRON CORE adapted strength and conditioning program (offered January-March), free equipment lending, and two annual tournament events: the Flying Puck Sled Tournament in January and the Legends & Legacies Festival in March. Players receive coaching at all skill levels, with options for both recreational and competitive participation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sled Hockey Program Year-round adaptive ice hockey program with weekly Monday evening practices (6:30-8:30 pm) at Queen City Sportsplex for youth (September-March) and adults (September-April). Offers both recreational and competitive play options for males and females of all ages with physical impairments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15 years of continuous operation with program growth from few players to over 40
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ACHIEVE PEAK PERFORMANCEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Sport performance consulting partnership with Aaron Slusher providing adaptive strength, conditioning, sport performance, nutrition, sleep, mental focus services for all ages. Consultant for IRON CORE Adapted Strength and Conditioning program.
• USA Hockey MidAm DistrictcoreOthersRegistered as an approved association in the MidAmerican District of USA Hockey, the national governing organization for ice hockey. All coaches, managers, volunteers, and Board Members are USA Hockey registered and SafeSport trained.
• Team IMPACTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership connecting seriously ill children with local sports teams. Congratulations extended to Liam and Jackson who were featured on Channel 5 WLWT news.
• UC Health Sports, Recreation and Gaming ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for adaptive sports. Contact through Renee at thebridgeadaptive.org. Provides assessment at Drake Center to determine best sport or recreational activity match for interests and abilities, then connects with community programming.
• Cincinnati CyclonescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal NHL-affiliated team partnership. Cyclones support IceBreakers through fundraising events (2024), demonstrations during games, and sponsorship of Cincinnati Blind Hockey program at Clovernook Center.
• University of CincinnaticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRON CORE program coaching staff come from UC undergraduate and graduate students in Health Sciences. UC Grad and IceBreakers' Coach Kaitlin Burnam invented Smart Cushion in 2018. Volunteer Michael Bennett from UC Mechanical Engineering Technology developed adaptive exercise equipment.
• Mount St. Joseph University (MSJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRON CORE program coaching staff come from MSJ undergraduate and graduate students in Physical and Occupational Therapy programs.
• Clovernook Center for Visually Impaired and BlindminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsor of Cincinnati Blind Hockey program with Cincinnati Cyclones, providing FREE learn-to-skate and play hockey opportunities for persons with visual impairments.
• Ohio Warriors Sled HockeyminorOthersPeer organization for veterans with physical disabilities wanting to play sled hockey.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Move United: National umbrella organization for adaptive sports in the U.S. The Bridge Adaptive Sports (a referral partner) is affiliated. Comparable adaptive-sports nonprofit mission at a national scale.
• USA Hockey - Disabled Hockey Section: National governing body under which Cincinnati IceBreakers is registered (MidAm District). Sets coaching certification, SafeSport, and competitive pathway standards for all U.S. sled hockey programs.
• Challenged Athletes Foundation: National nonprofit providing grants and adaptive sports opportunities to individuals with physical disabilities. Operates at a much larger scale but shares the disability-sports funding and participant-support mission.

Emerging players

• The Bridge Adaptive Sports and Recreation: Adaptive sports referral partner connected to UC Health Sports Clinic. Multi-sport rather than hockey-specific but operates in the same regional adaptive-sports ecosystem and player referral flow.
• Clovernook Center for the Blind: Co-sponsor of Cincinnati Blind Hockey with the Cincinnati Cyclones. Provides learn-to-skate opportunities for visually impaired individuals, representing a closely adjacent adaptive ice program.

Direct peers

• Columbus Blue Jackets Sled Hockey: Ohio-based adaptive sled hockey program affiliated with the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, providing similar year-round sled hockey programming, equipment, and competitive opportunities within the same state.
• Pittsburgh Mighty Penguins Sled Hockey: Regional adaptive sled hockey program in the Northeast offering comparable youth and adult programs, equipment lending, and tournament play. Closely aligned mission and operating model to Cincinnati IceBreakers.
• Chicago Blackhawks Sled Hockey (Chicago Sled Hockey): Major Midwest sled hockey program serving youth and adult players with physical disabilities in the Chicago area. Comparable structure with NHL affiliation and competitive travel tournaments.
• St. Louis Blues Sled Hockey (Sled Blues): Midwest-based adaptive sled hockey organization operating comparable youth and adult programming in Missouri. Same competitive Midwest tournament circuit as Cincinnati IceBreakers.
• Ohio Warriors Sled Hockey: Veteran-focused sled hockey organization explicitly named as a peer organization by Cincinnati IceBreakers. Operates the same adaptive ice hockey model in Ohio, serving a directly comparable population of players with physical disabilities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cincinnatiicebreakerssledhockey
• Instagraminstagram.com/cincyicebreakers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cincinnati IceBreakers Sled Hockey