Agroup of athletes made history during last week’s Hockey Weekend Across America when they visited all of New Jersey’s 54 ice rinks in 54 hours to raise awareness of hockey players with disabilities.

Andrew Schwartz, of Clifton, (standing, left) and his team of hockey players with EveryBODY Skates New Jersey make a stop at the Princeton Sports Center in South Brunswick on Sunday during their 1,370-mile journey to 54 ice skating rinks across the state in just 54 hours to advocate for ice time for disabled hockey players. SCOTT FRIEDMAN This record-setting mission, EveryBODY Skates New Jersey (ESNJ), hopes to encourage rink owners and municipal and county governments to set aside a small amount of ice time per week during hockey season for disabled hockey play.

“What we’re asking of rinks, like the ones we’ll visit in Red Bank and Middletown, is simple: Allocate one hour of ice time per week to disabled hockey,” said ESNJ cofounder Jon Schwartz, who spoke last Friday while driving his team through the Lincoln Tunnel and into New Jersey to begin their journey.

Special vehicles transported the athletes from rink to rink during the 54-hour journey, which commenced with an event at the NHL Powered by Reebok Store in New York City on Jan. 29 and concluded at the Prudential Center in Newark during the New Jersey Devils’ game on Jan. 31.

Additionally, the players were honored by the Devils when they attended the home game against the Philadelphia Flyers. The players also visited the Red Bank Armory and Middletown’s Navesink Country Club on Jan. 31.

Along the way, disabled athletes from four disciplines — sled, standing amputee, deaf/hard of hearing and special hockey — met with local youth, college and adult hockey players, rink management and community leaders.

Both hockey coaches for disabled teams, Schwartz brothers Jon and Andrew created ESNJ last summer.

“We wanted to get more involved with coaching the disabled, raising awareness, and changing the perceptions surrounding the sport,” Jon explained.

The team consists of 11 players ages 14 to 26 years old who have a range of disabilities, including neurological disorders, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy as well as amputees, the deaf, and other cognitive and physical disabilities.

According to the organization’s website, approximately 1.4 million disabled people, or 16 percent of the state’s population, reside in New Jersey. The state also leads the nation with one in 94 children being diagnosed with autism.

“There is a higher incidence of obesity and depression among the disabled,” said Jon. “That leads to other health issues. Hockey is great occupational therapy for the physically and developmentally disabled.”

According to Jon, ice time at New Jersey rinks is currently at a premium because preference is given to established travel and high school programs that buy in bulk. Convincing rinks to set aside ice time for disabled hockey is a struggle because rinks are businesses.

“What most rinks don’t know is that disabled hockey programs can pay their own way. These programs just need access to some ice and a little community support,” Jon explained.

According to Jon, for the most part, rinks have been receptive to his initiative.

“The rinks have been pretty good. It’s hard to get a hold of everyone,” said Jon. “I hope they come through.”

Jon spoke of the pride he felt for his prestigious team.

“I feel elated,” he said. “I’m sitting in the car with a member of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team and Paralympics, which take place following the Olympics in Toronto.”

Jon was referring to team member Tim Jones, of Mount Ephraim, who has been a member of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team since 2005.

“I’ve been playing since I was 12 and now I’m 22. We got the gold at the International Paralympic Committee Ice Sled Hockey World Championship in Ostrava, Czech Republic, and took gold at a tournament in Japan,” Jones said.

Jon added that Jones was also a member of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team that earned the bronze medal at the 2008 IPC Ice Sled Hockey World Championship in Massachusetts, and won the bronze medal at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy.

“It’s awesome. We hope to get the information out about the sport. We do a lot of competition,” Jones said of ESNJ.

Jon has served as head coach of the West Orange-based N.J. Dare Devils Special Hockey Team since its 2002 inception. The Dare Devils are 55 players with developmental disabilities, age 5 to adult.

He sits on the boards of Special Hockey International and the American Special Hockey Association, which is one of the nonprofit organizations the National Hockey League sanctions as part of its Hockey Is for Everyone initiative.

Jon is in his 14th year of coaching and has served as head coach at public and parochial high schools in New Jersey and Maryland as well as with competitive travel teams.

Additionally, he was named 2006 USA Hockey Atlantic District Coach of the Year and is a two-time recipient of the New Jersey General Assembly’s Salute to Champions award and the N.J. State Senate Leadership citation. Jon is also a level 4 USA Hockey coaching instructor who helped develop a coaching education curriculum for USA Hockey’s Disabled Section; runs several annual camps and clinics for special hockey in New Jersey; and speaks to more than 500 coaches each year about the benefits of coaching disabled hockey. He resides in Park Ridge.

Andrew has spent the past eight years as head coach of the Westchester, N.Y.- based United Spinal Rangers Sled Hockey Team, which is a group of players with physical disabilities who compete all over the East Coast.

According to Jon, Andrew has led his team in domestic and international competition and coaching current and future U.S. paralympians.

According to the website, USA Hockey Inc. is the national governing body for the sport in the United States.

Through Hockey Weekend Across America, the organizations promote the growth of the sport in America and provide the best possible experience for all participants by encouraging, developing, advancing and administering the sport.

Supporters of the ESNJ can pledge their support by visiting http://www.everybodyskates.com/. Supporters can also follow ESNJ on Facebook and Twitter at 54in54.