Entire Hockey Community Unite to Create OneGoal

2006 Major stakeholders in the hockey world have unified to create the new nonprofit organization, OneGoal, which is dedicated to increasing youth participation in the sport of hockey.

The organization's membership includes the National Hockey League (NHL), National Hockey League Player's Association (NHLPA), USA Hockey, Hockey Canada and the International Hockey Industry Association (encompassing most of the industry's equipment suppliers), as well as hockey rinks and retailers. Major brands such as Nike-Bauer, Reebok/CCM, Easton-Bell and Mission-ITECH, which usually compete for business, are also part of the coalition and are working together to create a broad-scale "invitation" to new hockey families, easing the beginner process. In addition to the vast marketing and personnel resources that these organizations bring to this initiative, OneGoal has already raised nearly one million dollars for its first year's efforts to reach out to its audience and increase youth participation in hockey.

"We are proud to be part of an initiative to grow the game of hockey," said Brian Jennings, senior vice president, consumer products marketing for the NHL. "Through the OneGoal program, the NHL will extend its long-standing efforts to increase participation in the sport and support minor hockey programs worldwide."

"It is vital that we all work together to expose more youth to this great game, which is why we are thrilled to be a part of OneGoal," said Ken Kim, NHLPA senior director, business.

The hockey industry took a meaningful step in January of this year, when it hosted the industry's premier trade show -- The OneGoal Show -- with proceeds going to the OneGoal Foundation. "Those of us in the hockey industry have been going to trade shows for years, but never before has the money spent to attend or exhibit, been directed to such a worthy cause -- increased youth participation," said Randy Hooper, president of Source for Sports, Canada's largest independent hockey store chain.

Now, OneGoal is ready to go public with a new web site at onegoal.com (as well as onegoal.ca and onegoal.org), which launched last week. The site is just one of a number of tactics the organization will use to reach out to the public about the benefits of youth hockey. Onegoal.com is designed to take the mystery out of hockey by easing parents and kids into the sport. Parents will find an introduction to the game, answers to many "first-timer" questions, and information about rinks (or retailers) near them and programs in their communities to help their kids take that first step onto the ice.

"At USA Hockey, we are committed, both physically and financially, to this initiative and its objective of increasing participation with kids," said Mike Bertsch, senior vice president at USA Hockey. "We are looking forward to sharing the life lessons learned in our game, such as teamwork and self confidence, with kids."

"Minor hockey is the backbone of our sport," said Glen McCurdie, director, Hockey Canada. "We are thrilled that each of our organizations has been able to come together to support the game and the positive benefits that it has for kids."

OneGoal invites and inspires kids ages four and up, and their families, to join in the great game of hockey. The organization will work to broadly communicate the many virtues of the game and support local "grow hockey" initiatives across North America, via a nation-wide television campaign, retailer/rink programs and local outreach initiatives.

"NHL players were fortunate to learn the sport when they were young, experiencing the camaraderie, teamwork, exercise, and fun that comes along with playing hockey, and it would be fantastic to have more kids enjoy that same opportunity," said the NHLPA's Kim, encapsulating the OneGoal team's feelings about the new organization.

About OneGoal. OneGoal is a nonprofit, whose mission is to grow the sport of hockey by building awareness of the positive aspects of the game, and helping to break-down the barriers of entry into the sport. The organization's goal is to increase youth hockey participation by 15 percent over three years, targeting four- to eight-year-old boys and girls across North America. For more information about OneGoal, visit http://www.onegoal.com/