Do your kids want to get into hockey? The Utah Hockey Club announced an initiative Wednesday designed to teach children the basics of the sport.
In partnership with Nomi Health, Utah HC will provide two key things: free tickets to games and programs to get kids to play hockey.
Free Utah Hockey Club tickets
Beginning Oct. 8 and continuing throughout the season, Utah HC will provide free tickets to nonprofits, schools, community groups and charitable organizations. Interested groups that meet the criteria can apply through a form on the team’s website.
“So many of us, like I do, have memories of going to games to cheer on our home team and enjoying a hot dog — an experience far too many families don’t have access to today,” said Mark Newman, CEO and co-founder of Nomi Health. “That’s why we’re excited to partner with Utah Hockey Club to give more Utahns the opportunity to cheer on the best franchise in hockey right here in our great state.”
Kids’ hockey in Utah
The team announced the inception of “Hockey 101,” a program designed to get kids interested in playing hockey.
Hockey 101 will involve events at both the Delta Center and local rinks around the community. The first event will be Sept. 30 at the Delta Center, where kids and their parents will get the chance to play interactive games and shoot pucks on the ice.
The program will also provide helmets, pads, sticks and nets to educators across the state of Utah for the purpose of integrating hockey into the physical education curriculum. It will specifically be aimed at kids in kindergarten to sixth grade.
Team owner Ryan Smith has mentioned before that he wants to host a kids’ hockey program comparable to the Junior Jazz, which has more than 60,000 participants across the state.
Members of the Utah Amateur Hockey Association board recently told the Deseret News that it had been in conversation with Utah HC about the development of youth hockey in the area. The association expects an influx of participants, both male and female.
Some members of the board expressed concerns that there would not be enough arenas to fulfill the demand for hockey in the area. If you’re Ryan Smith, that’s a good problem to have.
What do Utah Hockey Club players think?
The Deseret News asked Utah HC forward Logan Cooley about youth hockey programs on Wednesday morning. Cooley, the highest-drafted player from Pennsylvania, first got into hockey when he participated in a similar program put on by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“Trying to get them on skates, I think, is important,” Cooley said. “For me, when I was little growing up and first put on skates, it’s just what I loved to do. So, I think just trying to introduce that to as many kids as possible.”
