Declan Farmer Concludes Landmark 2025-26 Season with Disabled Athlete of the Year Award
Supporters frequently engage in discussions regarding who the top player in a particular sport may be.
Persuasive cases can be presented in various leagues worldwide. Nevertheless, in sled hockey, the statistics offer a definitive conclusion.
During the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, Declan Farmer netted 15 goals and accumulated 26 points, establishing records for both figures in a single Games.
The 28-year-old from Tampa, Florida, guided the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team to its fifth consecutive Paralympic gold and contributed to the Americans’ victories at the IPH Cup and Para Hockey Cup this season as well.
For yet another record-setting season, Farmer has been named USA Hockey’s Disabled Athlete of the Year. He will receive this honor at the USA Hockey President’s Awards Dinner on June 5 in Denver.
“I don’t think there’s anyone more deserving than he is when you consider what he’s accomplished,” stated U.S. head coach David Hoff. “What words do you use because he does it and then he does it again and then he does it again? When you use ‘great’ the first time, what do you use the second and third times?
“He truly is an extraordinary young man. The hockey aspect will be a significant part of his legacy, but it’s also about how he’s transformed the game and the leadership he’s shown off the ice.”
Established in 2005, the Disabled Athlete of the Year Award annually honors the remarkable perseverance and commitment of a disabled hockey player by showcasing their ability to overcome challenges in the quest for excellence both on and off the ice. This marks the first occasion Farmer has received this award.
Farmer became a member of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team at the age of 14 and has been involved in the program for half of his life. Throughout this period, he has participated in four Paralympics, securing gold medals each time. He has amassed 36 goals and 30 assists, making him the all-time leader in goals, assists, and points at the Games.
Farmer has been a welcoming figure for younger American players over the years.
“He’s just so accepting,” Hoff remarked. “He makes everyone feel included. When that’s the case, you can perform exceptionally well when you believe you belong in that locker room.”
Farmer is equally remarkable outside of the rink and locker room for his influence on the disabled community, according to Hoff. In April, fellow Paralympians elected Farmer to a four-year term on the International Paralympic Committee Athletes’ Council. In this capacity, he will represent athletes while reporting directly to the IPC Governing Board.
Hoff has observed the significant impact Farmer has had on the development of sled hockey at all levels.
“I can tell you we have kids all over the country who attend camps when they know he’ll be there as a staff member,” Hoff noted. “I look at the roster, and I see kids from Minnesota coming to Denver because they know he’ll be at that camp. So, he’s clearly had a profound effect on many young individuals in this country.”
Hoff first encountered Farmer at a sled hockey camp when he was around 12 years old. Although Farmer did not possess the skills he has today, Hoff immediately recognized his deep passion for the game.
Despite having set numerous records while winning four Paralympic gold medals and five World Championship titles, Farmer has maintained his enthusiasm for sled hockey and aims to continue enhancing his skills.
“He has an expectation of our coaching staff to keep challenging him,” Hoff stated. “He has that mindset that he can improve. That’s what truly distinguishes him as an elite athlete, that growth mindset, that continual pursuit of improvement.”
Farmer has motivated many younger players to take up sled hockey, and some of these athletes now share the locker room with him. Hoff believes that this new generation of players has helped Farmer remain inspired and invigorated after nearly 15 years with the national team.
“We all feel younger when we spend time with younger individuals,” Hoff said. “Our natural turnover is something he values. He’s not the young guy anymore, but he’s also not the oldest one around, either.”
Hoff believes one of the primary factors contributing to Farmer’s success this season was his mindset leading up to the Paralympics.
“He was incredibly focused right from the beginning,” Hoff remarked. “He’s very intense, but he doesn’t take anything too seriously, if that makes sense. He has a very nice balance with that. It’s certainly exciting that he’s receiving the award.”
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.
