Youth Hockey

8Youth Hockey

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

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GET IN THE GAME

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.

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

560 children hit the ice as Little Penguins participants during the 2020.21 season!

WILLIE O’REE ACADEMY

In June of 2021, the doors to the Willie O’Ree Academy were officially opened. Named in honor of Willie O’Ree, the NHL’s first Black player in 1958 and an inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2018, the Academy was designed to provide unique training, social and mentorship opportunities for Black youth hockey players in the Pittsburgh area. In partnership with DICK’s Sporting Goods, 29 youth hockey participants, ages 9 to 17, have begun meeting once a week for nine weeks at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, as well as once-a-month outside of the course to participate in educational programming and social activities.

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We love the game of hockey and have developed this program to ensure that we have the community and resources needed to grow this great game.”

Willie O’Ree NHL Trailblazer

Special thanks to Trevor Daley for his contribution to the Willie O’Ree Academy and its mission, both on and off the ice!

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HOCKEY OUTDOORS

PROJECT POWER PLAY

Starting in 2012, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation and Highmark partnered to build 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 plans for program expansion plus the construction of additional deks in our region.

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

2021 – 1 RINK

• McBride Park, City of Pittsburgh

Learn to Play Dek Hockey participants receive the following:

• Helmet

• Hockey Stick

• Hockey Gloves

• Shin Guards

• Learn to Play T-Shirt

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 kids, ages 4 to 9, with free dek hockey equipment as part of a 6-8 week instructional series. In 2020.21, 630 kids joined as Learn to Play Dek participants!

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STICKS IN HANDS

PENSFIT

PensFIT presented by FedEx Ground 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.

GIVE HOCKEY A SHOT

Created during the 2016.17 season, Give Hockey a Shot was designed for young athletes, ages 6 to 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.

EQUIPMENT RELIEF PROGRAM

The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation partnered with the NHL, NHLPA and DICK’S Sporting Goods to offer hockey equipment to select families throughout Greater Pittsburgh that have been financially impacted by COVID-19 through an Equipment Relief Program. This program provided approximately $20,000 worth of equipment to help families in need and to grow the game and continue the love for this sport.

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!

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LEVEL UP

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 annually.

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.

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