Joseph Woodke

Quick Facts

On March 29, 2011, while on foot patrol with the US Marines in Afghanistan, Woodke stepped on an improvised explosive device. He spent more than a year and a half at Walter Reed Medical Center recovering where he met other wounded soldiers during his physical therapy. It was at the hospital he first heard about Para ice hockey. Woodke moved to Nashville, Tennessee to reunite with two of the other wounded US Marines he met at Walter Reed — John Curtain and Ben Maenza. Together, they hit the ice and learned the game of Para ice hockey. John has always loved the sport of competition and being a part of the best.