The Mighty Penguins Adult Black team won the 2025 Northeast Sled Hockey League Tier III title. Submitted Photo
Officers from four local police departments will trade in their boots and uniforms for sleds and jerseys when they compete in the fifth annual Joyce Memorial Police Sled Hockey Challenge from 4:10 to 7:50 p.m. Saturday, April 5, at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township.
The event raises funds for the Mighty Penguins Sled Hockey program, which provides physically disabled children and adults with a chance to compete in a fun and adaptive version of the sport.
Law enforcement personnel from Cranberry, Northern Regional, Adams Township and Pittsburgh police departments will be pitted against each other in a friendly elimination tournament.
A final game will feature four players from each department facing off against the Mighty Penguins Adult Black team, the newly-crowned 2025 Northeast Sled Hockey League Tier III champions.
“It really is just a great community event,” said Melissa Everly, executive director of Mighty Penguins Sled Hockey. “It’s really team-building for the police departments and they do have a ton of fun. When you get to try a sport that you’re not familiar with, it really does create empathy to understand how our players play the game of sled hockey. It just helps raises awareness for the sport as well.”
The fundraiser began a half decade ago when event lead Debbie Joyce had an aspiration to generate more opportunities for her two sons, who both have autism, and other local children and adults with mental and physical disabilities.
Support for the event has grown alongside the program, which now includes five teams and more than 70 players.
“Each year I try to better myself or figure out where I went wrong the last time, so that I can make it better and bigger,” Joyce said.
Last year’s event raised $3,200.
“My goal is to make $4,000 this year,” Joyce said.
Members of the public are encouraged to attend. There will be a suggested $5 donation at the door.
All of the proceeds from attendance, basket raffle and 50/50 raffle will go toward initiatives within the Mighty Penguins program.
