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Last year, our team, the South Shore Ice Dragons, attended Frankenfest for the first time.
As a relatively young team, we knew we were stepping onto the ice against teams with multiple lines of players and years of experience behind them. On paper, there could have been a pretty big difference between us and some of the teams we faced.
But once we stepped onto the ice, none of that seemed to matter.
Because Frankenfest isn't really about who wins or loses.
It's about fun.
It's about inclusion.
And it's about community.
That message wasn't just something the coaches talked about. They had clearly instilled it in their players.
We saw it firsthand.
Game after game, the players we were competing against made sure our athletes had opportunities to participate, contribute and experience those moments that every hockey player looks forward to.
Including scoring a goal.
And then something happened that I will never forget.
They made sure every one of our players had a chance to score—including our goalie.
Think about that for a moment.
These were athletes who could have focused on scoring as many goals as possible. They could have treated the games like a traditional competition where the only objective is to win.
Instead, they chose something different.
They chose inclusion.
They chose to make sure their opponents were having fun.
They chose to create memories.
And they did it without hesitation.
That, to me, is what makes Frankenfest so incredibly special.
The lesson had clearly been passed from the coaches to the players: this weekend wasn't about keeping score. It was about making sure everyone on the ice felt like they belonged there.
And our players felt it.
They weren't being treated like guests who were simply allowed to participate. They were treated like hockey players. Like teammates. Like members of the larger hockey community.
There is something incredibly powerful about watching that happen.
As parents, coaches and supporters, we often talk about inclusion. We talk about creating opportunities for people with special needs. We talk about making sure everyone has a place at the table.
At Frankenfest, we got to see what that actually looks like.
It looks like an opposing player slowing down and giving someone an opportunity.
It looks like teammates cheering each other on.
It looks like coaches teaching their players that kindness and inclusion are just as important as the game itself.
And sometimes, it looks like a goalie getting the opportunity to score a goal.
That moment wasn't just about putting the puck in the net.
It was about being seen.
It was about being included.
It was about knowing that you belonged on that ice just as much as everyone else.
For our South Shore Ice Dragons family, Frankenfest became so much more than a tournament. It became an experience that reminded us why special-needs hockey matters and why communities like this are so important.
Our team may have been only in its second year, and we may have been facing organizations with far more experience and depth.
But none of that mattered.
Because for that weekend, we weren't measuring success by the scoreboard.
We measured it in smiles.
We measured it in new friendships.
We measured it in the excitement of our players.
And we measured it in the moment when every single one of our athletes—including our goalie—was given a chance to score.
That's Frankenfest.
It's hockey, but it's so much more than hockey.
It's a reminder that competition doesn't have to come at the expense of compassion, and that inclusion isn't simply about giving someone a spot on the ice.
It's about making sure they know they belong there.
And when everyone gets a chance to score, everyone wins.
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