The Disabled Athlete Sports Association (DASA) St. Louis Blues is a sled hockey program in St. Louis, Missouri that has helped develop world champions and current national team players Steve Cash (Overland, Mo.), Billy Hanning (Festus, Mo.) and Josh Pauls (Green Brook, N.J.).

Founded in 1997, Disabled Athlete Sports Association is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves the Greater St. Louis region by providing quality and affordable adaptive sport and fitness opportunities. The mission of the organization is for all those that live with a physical or visual disability or deaf or hard of hearing will be given the opportunity to participate in sports and fitness activities designed to improve self-esteem, and to promote growth and well-being while instilling family values. The organization recruits individuals five years of age and older living with permanent physical, visual and hearing disabilities who have difficulty participating in sports with their non-disabled peers.

Despite the sled hockey program’s success, which includes a 2015 Midwest Sled Hockey League Championship and a 2013 Toyota-USA Hockey Adult Sled Hockey National Championship title, the program is in need of additional funding for ice time and new equipment to help the sport continue to grow in the area. Through the $25,000 Sled Hockey Development Grant, presented by Labatt Blue, the program will be able to ensure its success on the ice can begin to see a growth in participation that the sport deserves. For more information on the DASA St. Louis Blues, click here