“I first met them at the conference when they were just starting out,” Visser said. “I met John Ufland [founder of Requip’d] and over the next year, I really started thinking about it. At that point in time, our teams were just throwing broken sticks into the dumpster.”

Ufland and Eric Bourgoujian came up with the original concept as they watched expensive carbon hockey sticks being thrown into the trash when they played hockey. They wondered if they could do something with the sticks. They started partnering with teams and manufacturers around North America to upcycle hockey sticks into BBQ sets.

“Neither of us were in the manufacturing business, this was just a side business for us,” Ufland said. “Every day we learned something new, but we continued to forge ahead.”

In October 2021, Requip’d was sold to ABLE Force in Richboro, Pennsylvania, which is run by Brian Damiani and Mike Fitzgerald.  ABLE is a nonprofit that employs adults with special needs and continues the mission to repurpose broken hockey sticks into unique items. 

“For me, it was one of the most important things as I was building the company for 10 years,” Ufland said. “To hand it off to Mike and Brian, it was a no brainer. It comes from a place of passion and they want to provide for this underserved company. It’s an amazing transfer of ownership. I can’t say enough good things.”

Fitzgerald said ABLE employs just over a dozen part-time employees, with the goal to hire up to 50. Having multiple businesses gives their employees the chance to learn different skills.

“We are able to match the skill sets of our adults and teach them across the board,” he said. “It’s such a key component of what we do.

“It is a model that can be done anywhere. They get to come in and work in one area and can shift to another area to get more hours. They really get to learn and grow, and it gives them a sense of purpose and a sense of belonging.”

The impact has been very positive, especially for Mike’s son, Shawn, who works in the shop. He had an opportunity to attend the SPHEM/PHATS conference this summer and help drum up business for ABLE Force.

“At the convention, Shawn would joke with a ‘Go Flyers Go’ when the teams would come by. It was all about the banter for him and the engagement was so cool,” Fitzgerald said. “The interaction with the equipment mangers is so positive. They were able to meet us and meet Shawn. They could put a face to the organization and what we are doing.”

Since its inception, Requip’d has repurposed over 100,000 hockey sticks.  In addition to the NTDP, they work with over 100 hockey clubs, including teams in the NHL, AHL, ECHL and NCAA.