Steve Ritter has been coaching the NJ Dare Devils program the past 18 years. His son Nicholas, who is 33, has autism.
"Through my involvement, I get the satisfaction of seeing my son, along with his teammates, do something they really have a passion for," Ritter said. "It brings tears to your eyes and even though it's a lot of work for our volunteers and coaches, it's worth it.
"Autistic people have a hard time socializing and this brings them together with something they like. In the locker room, they're making up lines, talking about who will pass to who and who's going in front of the net. These kids know more about hockey than me and I've been around hockey for 40 years."