What Does Gay Hockey Mean to Me?

In October of 1997, a young guy named Jeff Kagan from New York City attended a gay ice hockey tournament in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. When he returned to his home he was asked by the Toronto Gay Hockey Association to write a short essay about "what gay hockey means to me."

The introspection that came from that writing later contributed to Jeff's motivation for creating the New York City Gay Hockey Association (NYCGHA) in 1998. The NYCGHA has gone on to have over 100 members, 8 teams and hosts an annual tournament of it's own now called the Chelsea Challenge.

In 2002, Kagan crossed paths with Patrick Farabaugh and recruited him into the NYCGHA. From spending the next 4 years playing with the their league and participating in the Chelsea Challenge as well as the other gay hockey tournaments in North America, Patrick discovered a community and a level of acceptance that helped to develop a similar sense of purpose and confidence in himself. This is where he found the initiative in 2006 to create the Madison Gay Hockey Association.

To continue the positive momentum, the MGHA has established a scholarship fund to remove the financial obstacles involved with competing in the NYCGHA Chelsea Challenge. To be eligible, interested MGHA members need to write and submit an introspective essay of their own, also titled "What Gay Hockey Means to Me." Submissions will be accepted at the end of each MGHA season and the recipient will be named shortly after. The Chelsea Challenge is annually held each June in New York City.

2007-08 Essay Contest Entries