HOCKEY WEEKEND ACROSS AMERICA RECAP

Over 3,000 boys and girls were introduced to hockey on Saturday, Jan. 30, as part of Hockey Weekend Across America’s Try Hockey for Free clinics. Over 140 locations hosted a free trial to give first-time players a chance to test drive the sport. On the right, U.S. women’s hockey captain Natalie Darwitz participates in a Hockey Weekend Across America Try Hockey for Free clinic in Littleton, Colo.

FISHERS YOUTH HOCKEY INVITES GIRLS TO THE RINK FOR HOCKEY AND TEA

Fishers Youth Hockey created a Mother/Daughter Try Hockey for Free and Tea Party program on February 14. With 24 girls in their FYHA house program, their goal is to have every girl invite one or more friends to participate in the program.

All girls ages 5-17 years old are invited along with their moms, aunts or adult friends (who don’t have to skate) for an hour on-ice session (equipment provided). Following the Try Hockey for Free clinic is an hour open skate and tea party, where participants will have cucumber sandwiches, finger food, hot tea, lemonade and heart shaped cookies decorated with hockey sticks.

Click here for the program’s step-by-step model and the program's invitations.

CALLING ALL YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATIONS
AND THOSE "GROWING THE GAME"

USA Hockey and Total Hockey have joined forces to recognize what you are doing in your community to help Grow the Game.

We are asking you to tell us your story about a program or initiative that your association has created and how it has helped grow the game of hockey in your community. The local association that submits the winning entry will be rewarded with a $2500 gift card from Total Hockey. Click here to see last year’s winning program.

Entries will be judged on the following criteria:

• Creativity
• Media/Marketing potential
• Transferability to other local programs interested in growing the game
• Overall impact of program on local association

Please submit all entries for this award to Kevin Kavanagh. The deadline for entries is May 1, 2010 and the award will be presented in June at USA Hockey’s Annual Congress. For more information regarding the Grow the Game Contest, please click here.

Is your program trying something to increase participation? Please let us know so we can share ideas with other programs around the country.

AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT MODEL UPDATE

While we have had great strides made by some of our affiliates and local associations in adopting the ADM structure and principles at the Mite and Squirt age categories, the newly formed East Coast Hockey Conference (ECHC) is the first Mites to Midgets league to adopt the program.

“The American Development Model brings forward a positive modification of the landscape for youth hockey in our country,” said Ken Martel, director of the American Development Model. “We applaud the leaders in the East Coast Hockey Conference for their foresight and willingness to be the first. We know many more will follow because the ADM creates an environment that is best for our children.”

The ECHC includes the Boch Blazers, Boston Advantage, East Coast Wizards and New England Stars.

“I’m a big believer in the principles of the American Development Model,” said Mike Milbury, youth hockey coach, former National Hockey League player, coach and general manager, and broadcaster for the NHL on NBC. “We can’t continue to do what we’ve always done. We need to make changes and USA Hockey has done a wonderful job in putting forth this new development model, which puts an emphasis on skill development and having fun.”

NORTH AMERICAN RINK CONFERENCE & EXPO
narce.com

The North American Rink Conference and Expo (NARCE), presented by Serving The American Rinks (STAR), will be back in Chicago from May 10-13, 2010. Once again, USA Hockey will offer its Hockey Director Program to hockey directors and hockey program administrators.

This program will explain how to use USA Hockey programs including the American Development Model (ADM) to create successful development opportunities for all players, while maximizing the growth and profitability for all hockey programs.

Topics Include:

• USA Hockey Structure & Organization
• Coaching Education Program Overview
• Role Of An Effective Hockey Director
• Proven Ways To Develop Youth Players
• Age Specific Details Of The ADM Program
• Creating And Analyzing A Productive Practice
• Teaching Skating & Body Contact Skills
• Developing Goalies
• Effective Ways To Recruit New Players

Click here to register now for this educational event.

POST-OLYMPIC PLANNING

With the Olympics this month, we have a great opportunity to build on the energy and excitement around the sport of hockey. USA Hockey membership has seen increases following an Olympic year. With an additional focus on this fact, we can continue to grow the game.

Some ways to build on the Olympic excitement include: hosting Try Hockey for Free clinics, create Olympic Game viewing parties, decorate the arena with an Olympic theme or invite new groups to skate/try hockey.

What are you doing to capture new players during and following the Olympics? Email us at comeplayyouthhockey@usahockey.org.

ONEGOAL UPDATE

OneGoal will be running two market blitzes in March. Florida Hockey Day is set for Saturday, March 6 and Carolina Hockey Day is scheduled for March 13. These market blitzes are conducted by hosting state-wide “Try Hockey for Free” clinics with the goal of inviting new potential players and their parents to the rink.

Click on the respective sites to find a participating rink:

• Florida Hockey Day
• Carolina Hockey Day

For more information on how you can host a similar event to grow your association, please click here.

SCORE $2,500 THIS SPRING

The Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports Community Grants are almost here! Registration is now open for the spring 2010 Responsible Sports Community Grant period which runs March 1st through May 31st, 2010.

Go to ResponsibleSports.com/Grant to search to see if your organization is registered.

Since the fall of 2007, 100 youth sport organizations have earned a $2,500 grant, including 10 hockey associations!

Use the money for anything, you decide! Past winning hockey organizations have used the grant money for things like improving coach’s education, upgrading local rink conditions, starting a scholarship and more! What would your league do with $2,500?

Get started and register your organization >>

2009-10 SEASON UPDATE

Attention Program Registrars
Be sure to claim (transmit) all players and coaches participating in your program. It’s important to complete this step to ensure that all USA Hockey membership benefits are in place for your members and to make sure that your program is credited with the correct number of players and coaches. Member counts for all local programs are tracked at the State, District and National level.

Season Date Information
A few reminders as we approach the end of the ‘traditional’ hockey playing season:

• Online registration for the 2010-11 season will begin April 1, 2010
• The playing season is September 1 through August 31. New members who register on or after April 1 are eligible for participation from the date of their registration through August 31, 2011.
• For anyone currently registered for the 2009-10 season, that registration is valid through August 31, 2010

USA Hockey Cyber Sport software for the 2010-11 season will be available starting May 1, 2010.

PROGRAM SERVICES: Association Newsletters

Communication plays a vital role when it comes to acquiring and retaining youth hockey players. Click here to find examples of one form of communication that has been successful. If you have a newsletter that you are proud of, please add comeplayyouthhockey@usahockey.org to your mailing list and we will be sure to add your newsletter.

• Wranglers announce free clinic
• New hockey league aims to get every kid on ice
• Making hockey affordable for SLP youth
• Hockey day on the hill Saturday
• Free Staten Island hockey clinics start soon; learn-to-skate school sessions beginning too
• Flyers coach Laviolette works with kids from Ed Snider Foundation
• Kids first hockey program introduces kids to ice hockey free
• Nelson named 2010 Anaheim Ducks Local Hockey Hero
• Ambassadors on ice
• NHL staff hosts HIFE clinic at Chelsea Piers
• Atlanta Thrashers' Hockey Weekend Across America clinic
• Hockey Weekend Across America - best day of the year
• Flint Inner-City Youth Hockey Program gets off to roaring start with more than 50 youngsters on hand for first practice

MAKE A TAPE TO TAPE PASS

We encourage you to distribute this newsletter to as many people in your association as possible. Board members, hockey directors, coaches, parents and players can all benefit from information in TAPE to TAPE. We thank you for your commitment to hockey and your help in sharing best practices with others in your association.

If you don’t already receive this newsletter directly from USA Hockey and would like to, please click here to subscribe.