The Long Island Warriors, a hockey program comprised of current and former military members, had a lot to cheer about over the weekend as they hosted the LI Summer Shootout at Northwell Health Ice Center. The Warriors’ top team won the tournament in tier A play, but all levels had an enjoyable experience, including the Warriors novice team, which picked up its first win, marking the latest milestone for nonprofit, volunteer-driven program.   

“Those guys are like brand new to hockey, they’ve only been playing for a year or so and most of them started together. This morning, they got their first win ever, which is exciting,” said Tom Donaldson, President of the LI Warriors. “It’s a big accomplishment.”  

The mid-summer tournament attracted various visiting veteran teams from Boston, as well as local FDNY and EMS ice hockey teams, for three action-packed days where the heroes who have served our country showcased teamwork and strong veteran camaraderie.  

The Warriors create a welcoming environment where all current and former military members are welcome to join, even without prior experience in hockey. Take Emily Witteck for example, she hadn’t hit the ice before spotting a flyer for the Warriors in July of 2023, where she joined as a beginner and was embraced by the group off the bat.  

“From my first practice here, everybody has been so welcoming and took me under their wing,” Witteck said. “We all have that military connection, which is so nice because you’re going in feeling like you know everybody already.”   

Witteck served six years of active duty as a helicopter mechanic and has been stationed in Alaska, South Korea and parts of upstate New York. Being involved in the Warriors for over a year now, she cherishes the veteran camaraderie she found through her involvement.     

“You’re just out there with your team, playing hockey and having fun,” Witteck said. “It’s great because you’re pushing yourself and learning new things with your fellow veterans. You’re just focused on skating, the drills and what the coaches are telling you. It’s like nothing else matters at that for that one hour that you’re out on the ice.”

Donaldson explains that the program’s purpose has therapeutic values for veterans, illustrated by his own journey. After serving in Iraq for six years, Donaldson returned home to Long Island and faced a challenging adjustment and struggled with the transition.   

“The people that I’d spent the last six years serving with, my closest friends, the people that I knew to rely on, I wasn’t with them anymore,” Donaldson said. “So, I came home and felt that emptiness.”  

The Warriors program creates an environment where military veterans can re-gain their sense of belonging.   

“It’s nice having that family feeling again,” Witteck said. “The military is like a forced family, because you’re always working with the same people. If you live in the dorms, you live with the same people you work with, so you see them all the time. It’s kind of nice to have that feeling again here, and then bringing in something like hockey, where I also did it to kind of get myself to do a little more activity [and] get back into shape without having to go to the gym and do mindless waiting weight workouts.”  

Playing hockey and forging teamwork serves as an athletic outlet for servicemen and women who have gone through traumatic experiences and are looking for a positive support system.   

“Hockey is a very physical sport and you have fun doing it,” Donaldson said. “I think the main accomplishment is when family members tell me their [loved one] is healthier, happier, they’re sleeping better, and they’re maybe not turning to negative things, because they want to prepare for the tournament. They want to work out and they want to win games, that’s where that motivation comes from.”  

The Islanders provide ice time for weekly practices, benefits from player charities and initiatives for military members, as well as new threads the Warriors debuted this weekend, completed with an Islanders patch on the sleeve.   

“We travel all around the country, we meet other warrior teams, and nobody gets near the level of support that the Islanders give us, by far,” Donaldson said. “It’s pretty exciting to have that. We try to represent the Islanders appropriately. They’re just so amazing to us.”