A Provo hockey team took to the ice Friday for its first skating session, and for some it was the first time ever on the ice.

Mike Holmes, president of Regulators Hockey Inc. and one of the founders of the special-needs hockey team, said it does not cost anything to join. All of the materials and ice time are paid for by donations, he said.

Utah High School Hockey has donated the ice for games and Peaks Ice Arena donated ice time for practices. All of the uniforms were donated by Holmes's company. The Brigham Young University hockey team volunteers in the program, and every child has at least one volunteer to help them.

"There's been some great business support that Mike has helped generate," said Max Rabner, of Peaks Ice Arena.

The special-needs team will play with high school teams around Utah County. Rabner said junior varsity teams will integrate with the special-needs team, and the mixed teams will play each other.

"We're trying to do some cross-pollination with groups that historically are isolated from each other," he said.

Adam Gowans, a 26-year-old team member, didn't wait long on Friday to put his uniform on and help the children on the team.

Gowans suffers from autism and a seizure disorder, said his mother, Barbara Gowans. He is one of the few team members who has been on the ice before.

"I played hockey in middle school," Adam said. "Butler. It's near Cottonwood Heights, if you know where that is."

Barbara said her son was excited to see a flier for the special-needs hockey team and could not wait to get on the ice. The program is in its first year, and the directors sent out fliers hoping to attract people aged 5 to 50 with special needs.

"He brought (the flier) to me and said, 'Look, Mom, it's hockey! I haven't skated in so long,' " she said.

Holmes said the idea for a special-needs hockey team has been in the back of his mind for some time, but it was Mary Letterman and Selma Crosby who helped him get the plan in motion.

Letterman and Crosby both had special-needs children who enjoyed to play sports. Crosby's son Joshua had a heart two times the size it should have been, and he died last year at the age of 22.

"We're doing this in honor of Joshua," Crosby said. "And we love these kids."

Crosby works with the hockey team, along with her two sons who volunteer. Her 14- and 11-year-old sons help the children skate and move on the ice.

"They miss their brother, so this is good," Crosby said.

Members of the team have a range of mental disabilities, Crosby said, including autism, fragile X, Down syndrome and developmental delays. The only requirement is they must be able to walk.

The team's first practice on Friday was a chance for many of the children to test their legs on the ice. No. 9 had a hard time getting used to the slick surface and had help from Crosby's sons, who held him up on both sides.

One boy was not quite used to the helmet yet, so he stayed off the ice for the practice session. Some of the bigger boys, however, had no trouble sending hockey pucks ricocheting around the arena.

The team is a place for the youth to find a favorite sport, Rabner said. It is a good experience for them, and it helps them to develop an interest in something.

"It's not going to help all special-needs kids," he said. "It's going to help those who have an interest."

The only thing the athletes have to pay for is the hockey stick, he said, which comes at a discounted price -- around $15.

"When a kid holds a hockey stick, it says 'I play hockey,' " Rabner said.

Don Homan coaches the BYU team and volunteers with the program. He said most of the youth are excited to play hockey, but others will need time to get used to wearing the gear. Some simply do not want to play, but that's no different from other youth leagues.

Despite the work that goes into the team, Crosby said any difficulty is worth it. The youth enjoy the program and like to be a part of a sports team.

"The smiles on their faces is a huge reward," she said.

Holmes said the program is open to anyone with special needs. He said he wants to get as many players on the team as he can.

"We'll take anybody who comes through the door," he said.

State Rep. Steve Sandstrom, R-Orem, said he became involved with the program because his kids play hockey with the Rocky Mountain Renegades. He said it is important to get the word out about the program so more parents can get their children involved. It's also important for the program to receive donations so children can continue to participate.

"You can't have too many programs like this for kids with special needs," he said.

For more information on how to join the team, contact Max Rabner at (801) 377-8777.