ANNAPOLIS, Maryland – There are numerous cities, towns and local spots where firefighters and police find opportunities to compete.
The hockey arena is no stranger to these competitions.
In Annapolis, it’s the Annapolis Chiefs hockey team, made up of city firefighters and police officers.
Intended to be aone and done event, the team ended up being a full time passion.
In 2018, a group of three Annapolis Firefighters wanted to put on a charity event for the Annapolis Fire dept and a firefighter who had been battling cancer. 
The event was called “The Annapolis Heroes Classic” and it’s first year, the game sold out with over 1500 in attendance at the US Naval Academy rink Brigade Sports Complex. The event was a massive success with $13,500 raised for Josh and his family. After that event, interest in the team increased significantly, however it was not intended to be a full time team.
The team has informal practices at Piney Orchard in Odenton and last year, played in the AAHL at the Naval Academy (a B level adult hockey league). For the 2020-21 season, the team hopes to join the Maryland Heroes Hockey League in Laurel.
The Chiefs play an average of 22-30 games each season. 
That includes regular season, exhibition games, charity games, and last year we played at Capital One Arena in DC and Giant Center in Hershey (Pennsylvania),
The Chiefs schedule exhibition games in addition to a regular season.
The goal of the club is to provide a large number of hockey games for players so they can get their “Fill”. Since the 2019 Heroes Classic, the team played 26 games in 2019-20 before the COVID shutdown.
The Chiefs host the annual Annapolis Heroes Classic at Navy, and have been invited to charity games in Philadelphia, Frederick, Charleston, and New York.
The team is co-ed and players on the Chiefs come from multiple departments including:
-Annapolis Fire (majority of club)
-Annapolis Police
-Anne Arundel Police
-Queen Anne Sheriffs
-Federal Police
-NSA Police
-PGPD Police
-Volunteer Firefighters
-US Navy/Naval Academy
The COVID19 pandemic has shut down much of the hockey scene in Annapolis, but the local rink has opened stick and puck sessions for the first responders.
Editor’s Note: Pro Hockey News thanks Matt Benoliel of the Annapolis Chiefs Hockey Team for the information here.
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