Cincinnati Blind Hockey Gives Visually Impaired Athletes a Chance to Compete

The growing program provides blind and visually impaired players the opportunity to skate, pass, shoot, and body-check just like any other hockey team.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The Cincinnati Blind Hockey program is giving blind and visually impaired athletes the chance to experience the sport of hockey. The players use a puck with steel ball bearings inside that rattles as it moves, allowing them to track it by sound instead of sight. Despite their limited or no vision, the athletes move confidently across the ice, passing, shooting, and even body-checking. The program, which is still in its early stages, is supported by the Cincinnati Cyclones and is expanding access to adaptive hockey in the region.

Why it matters

The Cincinnati Blind Hockey program is providing an important opportunity for blind and visually impaired individuals to participate in a team sport and experience the joy and community of hockey. This program helps to break down barriers and demonstrates that the sport of hockey belongs to anyone willing to lace up their skates, regardless of their level of vision.

The details

The players in the Cincinnati Blind Hockey program have various vision impairments, including optic nerve hypoplasia and limited peripheral vision. To accommodate their needs, the program uses a larger puck with steel ball bearings inside that rattles as it moves, allowing the players to track it by sound. Despite their visual challenges, the athletes move confidently on the ice, passing, shooting, and even body-checking. The program is still in its early stages, but it is growing with support from the Cincinnati Cyclones, which has helped provide ice time and expand access to adaptive hockey in the region.

  • The Cincinnati Blind Hockey program was founded in the early 2020s.
  • The program continues to grow and expand access to adaptive hockey in the Cincinnati region.

The players

Ty Stewart

A 16-year-old player in the Cincinnati Blind Hockey program who has optic nerve hypoplasia, a condition where one of his eyes is underdeveloped.

Aristotle Han

A player in the Cincinnati Blind Hockey program who describes his vision as seeing textures and dark spots where eyes are, but not being able to clearly see faces.

Rob Wocks

The head coach and founder of the Cincinnati Blind Hockey program, who believes that once players are on the ice, they are just hockey players, regardless of any disability.

Cincinnati Cyclones

A professional ice hockey team that has provided support to the Cincinnati Blind Hockey program, including ice time and resources to help expand access to adaptive hockey in the region.

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What they’re saying

“Even if you're disabled, try to do something that you wouldn't expect. Join a team … ask coaches for accommodations and see what you can do.”

— Aristotle Han, Player (wbal.com)

“Without coach Rob or coach Rene, I wouldn't be here skating like I do. I probably wouldn't even be skating.”

— Ty Stewart, Player (wbal.com)

“Once you get on my ice, you're just a hockey player. There's no disability. It's just a hockey player.”

— Rob Wocks, Head Coach and Founder (wbal.com)

What’s next

The Cincinnati Blind Hockey program plans to continue expanding access to adaptive hockey in the region, with the goal of providing more opportunities for blind and visually impaired athletes to participate in the sport.

The takeaway

The Cincinnati Blind Hockey program is a powerful example of how sports can be made accessible to individuals with disabilities, breaking down barriers and fostering a sense of community and empowerment. By focusing on the athletes' abilities rather than their limitations, the program is proving that hockey belongs to anyone willing to lace up their skates and take the ice.