About Us
Darryl Arnold, Candice Arnold, Cathy Moeller, Kris Maguire
Tournament Staff & Volunteers
Candice Arnold - Tournament Director / Founder
Darry Arnold - Referee Assignor & Statistician
Cathy Moeller - Tournament Assistant
Kris Maguire - Tournament Assistant
Angela Balch - Registration Assistant (not pictured)
John Kavusak, III - Registration Assistant (not pictured)
Our History
Hockey Fights MS is a unique organization whose mission is to raise money for research into the cause, cure and treatment of multiple sclerosis and to help improve the lives of those living with multiple sclerosis by supporting local rehabilitation centers.
Founded in 2005 by Candice Arnold, Hockey Fights MS began as a single event in eastern Pennsylvania. In just seven years we have grown to four separate tournaments in three states (Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Maryland) and have watched the total number of participating teams increase from 7 to 76. Players have traveled from 21 states and Canada to participate in the three-day tournaments and to support our cause.
Hockey Fights MS tournaments are currently open to adult men and women players of all ages and abilities. The number of participants, volunteers and spectators continues to increase each year, reflecting the growing support from local communities.
How We Help
To date, our organization has raised over $70,000 for MS research and rehabilitation centers such as The MS Center at Fletcher Allen Healthcare located in Burlington, VT and Good Shepherd Rehabilitation in Allentown, PA. Past recipients have included the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s New England and Greater Delaware Valley Chapters as well as Johns Hopkins Project RESTORE – one of the leading MS research facilities in the country.
When Life Hands You Lemons…
The inspiration to form this organization came as a direct response to my own diagnosis. I experienced my first symptoms of MS in August 2005. After undergoing several diagnostic tests such as blood work, MRI’s and a spinal tap, I was informed by my neurologist that I had multiple sclerosis. To say that I was in a state of shock is an understatement. I didn’t know anything about multiple sclerosis so I wasn’t exactly sure what this meant at first. I spent days worrying about what life would be like from that moment on. I was 25 years old and had my whole life ahead of me. I wondered if I would be able to continue playing sports and participate in the other activities I enjoyed.
Hockey has always been my passion. I first started playing when I was ten years old. I played for my high school boy’s team before moving on to play competitively on a girl’s travel team and in a local men’s league. By the time I had gone off to college, I was competing at the NCAA Division III level and loving every minute of it. Aside from playing, I was also a private skating instructor and coach. As I’m sure many of my readers can relate, not much existed outside of hockey. Just the thought of not being able to do what I loved most was terrifying.
Rather than accepting defeat, I started brainstorming ways to make the best of the situation. Like the saying goes, “when life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” I decided the only thing I could do was help find a cure and so, within one week of being diagnosed, I started planning the first Hockey Fights MS tournament in Pennsylvania.