History of the Durham Dragons It wasn't until 1994 when the King family decided to start a special hockey team for developmentally challenged individuals in their local area, Ajax, Ontario. They figured this type of hockey would benefit a lot of people and give special needs players a chance to participate in Canada's #1 sport. It would also give the only other team in the Toronto area at that time, someone to play against. A survey was conducted in 1994 and it was found that there was an overwhelming interest from the public. Ajax was the central location within Durham Region and welcomed our program. The name Durham Dragons came about very quickly and has become a very well recognized name. With securing ice and affiliation with an existing league Ajax Minor Hockey the Dragons were ready to roar! In 1995 enough players registered forming two teams of mixed ability and officially the start the Dragons. In 1998, players were divided into two divisions, junior and senior. The junior division is a beginners level with players having a basic level or no skating ability. With the senior division,  players are at a more advanced level of play. The junior division is more instructional with few games while the senior is instructional with more games. In 2001, the intermediate divsion began.  Players in this division, build skills necessary to play in the senior division.  Generally, there is an equal number of games to practices during a season. Hockey for the developmentally challenged has become international. Teams are being created each year and games are constantly being scheduled. The international league is called "The Heart League", currently consisting of 20+ clubs, Canadian, American and British.