Youth Hockey

We foster the growth, accessibility and sustainability of youth hockey in the tristate area with the goal of sharing the game we love.

SID & THE KIDS

LITTLE PENGUINS LEARN TO PLAY HOCKEY

Sidney Crosby’s Little Penguins is an introductory learn to play program for youth ages 5 to 9. The program aims to inspire children to join the sport. Little Penguins provides first-time participants free head-to-toe equipment, on-ice instruction and certified coaching in a fun and safe atmosphere. Little Penguins is presented by the NHL and NHLPA with the support of Crosby, the Penguins Foundation, DICK’S Sporting Goods, CCM and USA Hockey.

“The kids had great energy, and I have some great memories as a kid being at hockey camp and having good experiences that way. So just to be out here and see the smiles and the energy that they bring, that’s what it’s all about.”

Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins

100 Little Penguins participants were surprised with a Golden Ticket to skate on the ice with the Pittsburgh Penguins!

“This is definitely the north star. The Golden Ticket skate is probably one of the premier events that we see around the league. Having Sidney Crosby and the team be a part of this event is even more special. Any time you can get an interaction with a current player, it’s going to create a love for the game.”

Matt Herr Senior Director of Youth Hockey & Industry Growth NHL

Since 2008, Sidney Crosby’s Little Penguins program has given over 13,000 children an introduction to hockey!

ON DEK

PROJECT POWER PLAY

Starting in 2012, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation and Highmark partnered to build 12 dek hockey rinks through Project Power Play. The initial phase included a budget of $2.3 million over a four-year period with added support from the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and the surrounding communities. The next phase of Project Power Play is now underway with 3 additional deks built in 2018 and 2019.

15 Project Power Play dek hockey rinks are located within Pennsylvania and Ohio! Efforts to grow hockey ‘on dek’ have led to the creation of the Learn to Play Dek Hockey program. Similar to Little Penguins on-ice, this program equips 1,000 kids, ages 4-9, with free dek hockey equipment as part of a 6-8 week instructional series.

15 DEK Hockey Rinks! 2012 – 2 rinks • Banksville Park Banksville • Lewis Park Hazelwood

2013 – 4 rinks • Brookline Memorial Park Brookline • Hosanna House Sherwood Event

Center Wilkinsburg • Riverside Park Oakmont • Richland Community Park Wexford

2014 – 4 rinks • Renzie Park McKeesport • Settler’s Cabin Oakdale • North Park Allison Park • Graham Park Cranberry Township

2015 – 2 rinks • Paul J. Scullio II Memorial Park

Bloomfield • South Park South Park

2018 – 2 rinks • South Park South Park (Ice Rink

Conversion) • Mill Creek Park Youngstown, OH

2019 – 1 rink • Bellevue Memorial Park Bellevue

Over 180,000 children have been exposed to hockey through PensFIT!

PLAY LIKE A PENGUIN

PENSFIT

PensFIT is designed to introduce children to the sport of hockey and facilitate an increase in physical activity by supplying schools and community centers with complete sets of floor hockey equipment including sticks, hockey balls, goals, goalie equipment and more. Since the launch of PensFIT in 2012, the Penguins Foundation has provided free floor hockey equipment to more than 650 schools and community centers in 10 different counties.

GIVE HOCKEY A SHOT

Created during the 2016.17 season, Give Hockey a Shot was designed for young athletes, ages 6-12, to play this great game regardless of income. Give Hockey a Shot allows rinks in the Pittsburgh region to borrow one of three fully stocked equipment trailers for up to 30 days with each trailer housing 40 sets of youth hockey equipment.

TRY HOCKEY FOR FREE

Launched in 2017.18, Try Hockey for Free donated 50 sets of youth hockey equipment to 25 rinks in Western Pennsylvania. This donation has allowed the selected rinks to host multiple Try Hockey for Free events - ultimately introducing youngsters ages 4-8 to the sport.

ALL FOR ONE

HOCKEY STICKS TOGETHER

The Pittsburgh Penguins organization and the Penguins Foundation supported the formation of the Hockey Sticks Together Foundation to oversee programs that embody the NHL’s “Hockey is for Everyone” initiative. Each season, the Penguins Foundation provides a monetary contribution to Hockey Sticks Together to share hockey with those who are disabled or underserved. In 2019.20, the Penguins Foundation supported Hockey Sticks Together with a $155,000 total grant to assist these organizations:

Beaver County Ice Sharks Special Hockey Happy Valley Sled Hockey Happy Valley Special Hockey Johnstown Sitting Bulls Sled Hockey Mighty Penguins Sled Hockey Pittsburgh Emperors Special Hockey Pittsburgh Inclusion Creates Equality Pittsburgh Rhinos Blind Hockey Pittsburgh Warriors Steel City Icebergs Special Hockey Southpointe Grizzlies Special Hockey The Hockey Sticks Together Foundation’s mission is to embrace individuals with disabilities and support the inclusion of athletes of all genders, age, ethnicity, ability, race, sexual orientation and socio-economic status in all aspects of hockey while driving positive social change.

THE NEXT LEVEL

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS ELITE

A joint effort of the Pittsburgh Penguins and DICK’S Sporting Goods, Penguins Elite offers a comprehensive program for player development that includes the region’s premier coaching staff, professional management, world-class training facilities, academic guidance and more. The Penguins Elite program, Western Pennsylvania’s premier AAA amateur hockey organization, is the only program in the region that offers a full complement of teams for boys and girls at all age groups. The Penguins Foundation proudly supports Penguins Elite with an annual grant.

EXCEL HOCKEY ACADEMY

In 2017.18, the Pittsburgh Penguins organization opened the doors to EXCEL Hockey Academy, a premier scholastic hockey academy in partnership with the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex and North

Catholic High School. With financial support provided by the Penguins Foundation, EXCEL Hockey Academy offers students a unique combination of traditional classes with daily ice time and world-class hockey training. In addition to the high school level (grades 9-12), EXCEL Hockey Academy is open to middle school (grades 6-8) and grade school (grades 3-5) students as well on a modified basis.

“The Penguins involvement in youth hockey has been extensive over the last 10 years. We have some of the best coaches in the country and we definitely have some of the best training in the country at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.”

David Morehouse President & CEO Pittsburgh Penguins