Playing sled hockey presented challenges for former CNY Flyers player Jess Schreiner, who has cerebral palsy.

"For me, it's different than a lot of people with cerebral palsy," Schreiner said. "It takes longer for the messages from my brain to get to my limbs."

With a custom stick and help from her teammates, like Simba Chen, Schreiner played for eight seasons.

"Simba pushes, and I'm the hands,” she said. “I'm the blade, he's the legs."

Before coming to the U.S. for school, Chen played hockey for several years in his native Taiwan. He joined the Flyers this season — a season that recently concluded — to assist Schreiner after surgeries forced her to take a break.

"I never imagined hockey could be played this way," Chen said. "And also, just how difficult it is.”

Schreiner was forced to relearn how to play, but with Chen’s help on the ice, Schreiner quickly readjusted.

"[My coach] said I picked it right back up like I wasn't gone for two years," she said.

Schreiner, who is retiring from the Flyers, said the team was more than just a sport for her.

"It's a sad thing to leave,” she said. “I love it. They're another family."

For Chen, being Schreiner’s “legs” on the ice reignited his love for hockey.

"For me to see her so happy, I'm able to help her achieve that joy," he said. "I'm experiencing that kind of thrill again through her as well. It's a big family at the end of the day."

The CNY Flyers welcome players of all abilities, something both Schreiner and Chen take pride in.

"Everyone is welcome," Schreiner said. "Disability, no disability — if you can move your arms or legs, you are more than welcome to join the team."