Try Hockey For Free Day Gallery

Small Steps, Giant Leap For Hockey

From the glittering glass towers of New York City to small towns scattered across the United States, more than 11,000 kids laced up the skates and grabbed a stick for a day of fun on the ice as part of Try Hockey For Free Day.

The Nov. 5 event was part of USA Hockey and the NHL’s first-ever Come Play Hockey Month initiative.

By the time the ice shavings had settled, 430 locations in 47 states took part in the grass-roots effort to give kids the thrill of freewheeling around the ice.

Among the many highlights of the day, the Desert Ice Castle near Palm Springs, Calif., attracted 79 new kids to the rink through a promotion to the local Spanish-speaking community. 

In addition, seven rinks in the New York City area teamed with the Rangers to bring more than 1,000 to the ice for the first time.

The Eastern Carolina Hockey Association in Greenville, N.C., which had just 31 registered players in the 8 & under age category last season, welcomed 128 new kids to the rink.

And at Fort Bragg, N.C., Cleland Ice Rink had 65 kids hit the ice for the first time.

“We’re excited with the results and know that we’ll have some new young hockey players as a result of Saturday’s efforts,” said Pat Kelleher, assistant executive director of membership development for USA Hockey.

The next Try Hockey For Free Day will take place in conjunction with the 5th annual Hockey Weekend Across America, presented by Reebok, on Feb. 18.

 

The Rinks Westminster Ice - Westminster, Calif.The Rinks Westminster Ice - Westminster, Calif.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

World Arena Ice Hall - Colorado Springs, Colo.World Arena Ice Hall - Colorado Springs, Colo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patterson Ice Center - Grand Rapids, Mich.Patterson Ice Center - Grand Rapids, Mich.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

World Arena Ice Hall - Colorado Springs, Colo.World Arena Ice Hall - Colorado Springs, Colo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, ColoradoApex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colorado

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rink Side Sports - Gurnee, Ill.Rink Side Sports - Gurnee, Ill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, ColoradoApex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colorado

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, ColoradoApex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colorado

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, Minn.Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, Minn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, ColoradoApex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colorado

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, ColoradoApex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colorado

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, ColoradoApex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colorado

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, ColoradoApex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colorado

 

Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, Minn.Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, Minn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Columbia Ice Rink – Columbia, Md.Columbia Ice Rink – Columbia, Md.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Columbia Ice Rink – Columbia, Md.Columbia Ice Rink – Columbia, Md.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Columbia Ice Rink – Columbia, Md.Columbia Ice Rink – Columbia, Md.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Columbia Ice Rink – Columbia, Md.Columbia Ice Rink – Columbia, Md.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, Minn.Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, Minn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ice World - Abingdon, Md.Ice World - Abingdon, Md.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Crowne Center - Evanston, Ill.Robert Crowne Center - Evanston, Ill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TryHockey26TryHockey26

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, Minn.Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, Minn.

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Columbia Ice Rink - Columbia, Md.Columbia Ice Rink - Columbia, Md.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, Minn.Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, Minn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patterson Ice Center - Grand Rapids, Mich.Patterson Ice Center - Grand Rapids, Mich.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

World Arena Ice Hall - Colo. Springs, Colo.World Arena Ice Hall - Colo. Springs, Colo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.

 

World Arena Ice Hall - Colo. Springs, Colo.World Arena Ice Hall - Colo. Springs, Colo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.Apex Center Ice Arena - Arvada, Colo.

 

World Arena Ice Hall - Colo. Springs, Colo.World Arena Ice Hall - Colo. Springs, Colo.

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