09/18/2026
⚜️Meet the Team⚜️
Today, we’d like to introduce another one of the veterans who makes AVH special. Beyond the jersey and the time spent on the ice, each of our members brings their own story, experiences, and dedication to the team. It is our pleasure for you to meet, Jason Bridges8️⃣9️⃣(forward/defense)…
“I enlisted in the Louisiana National Guard as an infantryman in 2007. During my service, I participated in hurricane relief deployments here at home and deployed to Iraq in 2010, where my unit conducted personal security operations throughout Baghdad.
The skills and experiences I gained in the military eventually led me into law enforcement, where I worked narcotics as part of my department’s Directive Patrol Unit. After a couple of years, I changed directions and entered the pipeline industry. Pipelining helped me develop my career as a welder, but being away from my family so much eventually pushed me to find something closer to home. Since early 2020, I’ve worked as a welder and fabricator at a local sugar mill.
My wife and I eventually sold our house in town and moved to the country, where we started a small farm. We both have a soft spot for animals and, over the years, have accumulated quite the collection of pets. Between working at the mill, taking care of the farm, and raising our family, I realized I needed an outlet where I could dive into something that was simply fun.
After seeing a Facebook post about Acadiana Veterans Hockey, I went to watch a game and talked with several players and organizers afterward. Although I had never played hockey, rarely watched it other than a few Ice Gators games as a kid, and had very little ice skating experience, I decided pretty quickly that I wanted in. What sweetened the deal was that my family followed me onto the ice. I joined the veterans team, my wife joined the newly founded women’s team, and our two daughters began skating and joined the youth program. Hockey quickly became something our whole family could share.
The acceptance, encouragement, and willingness to help that I received from Acadiana Veterans Hockey and the community surrounding it are unlike anything I’ve experienced since leaving the military. I originally went looking for an outlet and a new challenge. What I found was a team, a community, and a little bit of the camaraderie I didn’t realize how much I had missed.
Q&A
1. Pre-game ritual? -“Overthinking”
2. Favorite sports team growing up? -“Soccer/Manchester United”
3. If you weren’t playing hockey what else would you be doing? -“Either working at the mill or building something at home”
4. If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive? -“My grandfather, we’ve got a lot to catch up on”
5. Something most people don’t know about you? -“I’m a perfectionist. The smallest details that most don’t see get under my skin”
