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Olde Crabs History:
 

Love of competitive ice hockey is the magnet that has drawn the Old Crabs together for the past 15 years.  The team started as a Fairfield/Westchester spin off of the St. Nick’s Club, the oldest amateur hockey club in the US.  The original name of the club was the N.Y. Commuters and was managed by Artie Collins and former professional Chicago Blackhawk player, Eric Nesterenko.  The team was primarily made up of professional men who had been outstanding hockey players in college, especially in the ivy leagues.    

A year after organizing in 1977, the Commuters formed a travel team and began playing in tournaments in Canada and throughout the Northeast.  Seven members of this original team are still playing with the 60 and over division of the Olde Crabs. Originally current members of the Olde Crabs played for various local teams in Westchester, NY and Fairfield, CT

Having played with and against each other for some 20 years, the Olde Crabs Over 50 Team was formally organized in 1991 bringing together over twenty skaters to a single team. The Olde Crabs compete in tournaments in Canada and throughout the U.S. The team has successfully competed in The World Cup in Seattle as well as tournaments in New York, Maryland, and Minnesota. In 2008 the team won the Gold Medal in the Over 60 Pig Pen Division of the Snoopy Senior World Tournament in California. 

Today the Olde Crabs have grown to fully developed 50+, 60+ and 70+ teams composed of working and retired professionals.  The team’s home rink is the Danbury Connecticut Municipal Ice Arena where on Sunday afternoons from October to April they invite local teams to a friendly game. The “Crabbies”, as we are often referred to, take pride in their ability to skate competitively, their love for the game, as well as the comradeship developed over the years. As a team we are active in reaching out to help those in need. Starting in 2005 proceeds from the Crabs tournament were dedicated to the American Diabetes Association which encouraged individual fitness and health no matter what the age.  In 2008 an additional recipient of our work will be the Connecticut Storm. The Storm is a group of parents dedicated to helping children with disabilities learn to socialize and despite their handicaps grow into adults through the social and athletic interaction that ice hockey brings. We’re proud to sponsor the organization and its 28 disabled but game hockey players. Go Storm.

Over the years the club continues to increase membership, win a tournament now and then, develop a strong fan base, and become a role model for many younger teams.  Being an Old Crab is not a bad thing when it comes to hockey in the NY/CT area and as Badger Bob said “It’s  a great day for hockey”.

Mission:

 

The Olde Crabs Hockey Club was founded in 1991 as a travelling over 50 hockey club, and in 2006 the Club was recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.  In addition to promoting adult men and women’s recreational amateur hockey, our charter is to serve the local community through charitable fund raising to help and aid the disadvantaged and needy. The proceeds from our first Charity Tournament in 2005 were donated to the American Diabetes Association. Over the ensuing ten years our charitable fund raising has expanded significantly in support of both local and national causes including domestic violence, Alzheimer's Disease, local food banks, Salvation Army, returning veterans and the Connecticut Storm a special needs hockey club focused on Autism.  To date the Olde Crabs Senior Invitational Tournament has raised over $350,000 for charities.

 

DONATE NOW

DONATE NOW

Letter from our President; Our Charitable Mission needs you:

 

Dear friends this coming October the Olde Crabs Hockey Club will host 28 teams including 400 players from a dozen states at the Olde Crabs Senior Invitational Charity Ice Hockey Tournament, offering four competitive age divisions (50 men, 60 men, 70 men and 40 women) to compete for the revered King Crab Trophy.  As some of you are aware, The Olde Crabs Hockey Club was founded in 1991 as a travelling over 50 hockey club, and in 2006 the Club was recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.  In addition to promoting adult men and women’s recreational amateur hockey, our charter is to serve the local community through charitable fundraising to help and aid the disadvantaged and needy. The proceeds from our first Charity Tournament in 2005 were donated to the American Diabetes Association. Over the ensuing ten years our charitable fundraising has expanded significantly in support of both local and national causes including domestic violence, Alzheimer's Disease, local food banks, Salvation Army, returning veterans and the Connecticut Storm a special needs hockey club focused on Autism.  To date the Olde Crabs Senior Invitational Tournament has raised over $350,000 for charities.

I've been an officer of the Crabs since 1996 and Co Chairman of our annual tournament for all twelve years. This year I’ll be representing both the Olde Crabs over 60’s and 70’s teams and playing in at least six games over the weekend. Obviously I'm nuts over ice hockey. As the President of the club in it's 26th Anniversary year I ask you to consider supporting those in need in our community by donating to The Olde Crabs fundraising activities. No gift is too small and every dollar is revered. All gifts are tax deductible.

Olde Crabs Hockey Club

Olde Crabs Hockey Club

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