A CHANCE FOR THE NEXT HANSEN AND HIGGINS
In praise of the NYI’s new youth hockey initiative
For information on this youth hockey outreach, to sign up for the next session or to become a sponsor, email michelle.winter@newyorkislanders.com
When you’re on the writer/blogger side, you’re often pitched stories by people in my former profession about a company’s programs in the community.
Once in a while, the program is so good you don’t need to be pitched. You’re happy to help get the word out.
With the hockey team not playing til Wednesday, let’s take a moment to sing the praises of the Islanders Spring Hockey League. While its title makes it sound like it could be a beer league, the ISHL is a creative, progressive initiative by the Islanders to give children ages 6-14 their first exposure to the game of ice hockey.
Here are the basics of the deal…
How You Support It:
In the Islanders’ version of Girl Scout Cookies, you are asked to sell 20 vouchers for Islanders tickets at $25. Considering each $25 voucher gets you the equivalent of one $50 ticket, that’s a reasonable commitment.
What Your Child Receives:
1. Six weekly, one-hour ice hockey sessions focused on fundamentals at either Islanders Iceworks in Syosset, Newbridge Arena in Bellmore or The Rinx in Hauppauge. But of equal importance and even greater value…
2. A complete set of hockey equipment. Seriously.
Full disclosure: Luke Botta, 8-year old son of the team-sponsored blogger, is signed up for the Islanders Spring Hockey League. When I first saw that commercial on the Coliseum scoreboard where Bailey and Okposo talk about the program, unlike Ms. Murray I didn’t give a hoot about conflict of interest. As someone who knows how expensive youth sports can be, I only wanted to know if the Islanders’ offer was for real.
On Saturday, Luke picked up his equipment at Iceworks. In his Islanders bag was the following:
- Islanders ice hockey skates
- A stick, taped up and cut for his size
- A youth-hockey certified Bauer helmet with full cage
- Hockey pants, chest and shoulder protector, elbow and leg pads, gloves and socks
All of the equipment is Islanders-branded and top-notch. Luke first played two years ago. I would estimate the brand-new equipment he received from the Islanders Spring Hockey League as valued at $400 minimum. That’s if you shopped really hard and were friends with the guys at Play It Again Sports.
Now add on the value of the icetime and instruction, expensive wherever your child may play.
To the best of my knowledge, only the Pittsburgh Penguins – under the Sidney Crosby/Reebok umbrella – have a program that rivals this one. By asking only that participants sell 20 tickets at $25 each to their relatives and friends, that’s not just a great deal. By introducing kids to the game and putting more fans in the seats – and perhaps winning new ones – the Islanders have devised a youth hockey outreach that is generous and smart. That’s good community relations and marketing. Everyone, especially the children, benefits.
Appropriately, the first children invited to join the program were from the team’s charity initiative Islanders Inspire. But the progam is open to everyone, and 400 
signed up for the Spring season. Attendance in the next session could more than double. Maybe some of these kids could be the next Richie Hansen, Northport’s own who 30 years ago became the first Long Islander to play for the Islanders. Maybe they can be the next Komisarek or Higgins or Nystrom or Scuderi.
I’m told that the ISHL for this season is booked solid, but is such a success the Islanders will have a version in the fall (hmmm, maybe the Kyle Okposo or __________ Autumn Academy). If you are interested in signing up your child, contact my former colleague Michelle at the email address below. A percentage of the tickets sold goes to underwrite and expand the program and services for next season. That said, if you’re interested in becoming a sponsor of the program, send a note to Michelle.
If you are new to the youth hockey game, as the parent of a player I can tell you I’m not aware of a better deal in New York than this.
For information on this Islanders youth hockey outreach, sign up for the next session or become a sponsor, contact Michelle Winter at michelle.winter@newyorkislanders.com.
Share your interest and feedback on the Islanders youth hockey program in this thread.
Tavares/Hedman/Duchene, those Tampa and Colorado juggernauts and hockey talk continues below. A Jack Hillen story is up next. Comments.
14 Responses to A CHANCE FOR THE NEXT HANSEN AND HIGGINS
In praise of the NYI’s new youth hockey initiative
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Pete M says:
Our friends daughter is participating. Sounds like a great program.
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This is a fantastic offer, I hope it’s still around when my daughter is of the age to start playing. Good for the Isles. This is another reason why Wang, Dey, etc. should be commended.
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Beef says:
This is really a terrific program. My son skates at Iceworks on a regular basis and the cost of the lessons and equipment is way more than the effort required to sell 25 tickets. Charles gets bashed an awful lot, sometimes deservedly, most times not, but this just reaffirms his and the team’s commitment not only to attempting to put a winning product on the ice, but serving the entire Long Island community as a whole. Nice job!
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Giaco says:
The Islanders do very well in this area.
Earlier this season, they teamed up with Hockey Long Island (Adult Hockey League) and offered tickets at a cheap price with proceeds going to a charity.
They also hosted special nights for the local hockey rinks.
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Healy says:
I saw one of the flyers for this at my local YMCA. I can’t believe how great a deal this is. Have to give the organization credit on this initiative, looks like the youth movement is really being expanded to the fans as well.
I only wish I was a kid again so I could participate.
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Wow, CB- this really is a great deal. (I just dont have any kids lol.
) It seems like a wonderful, positive way to help children have fun, promote athleticism, and foster love of hockey on Long Island. -
John says:
Just signed my 8 year-old kid up for his third year of hockey… house league at that… and it cost $320 Canadian. Relatively cheap… but that you factor in new equipment… skates… stick etc etc and at the end of the day it’ll be in the $600-700 range. You have a great deal going on there. Charles… if you want to bring your program to London, ON, please do so. On aside note… my kid wore Leaf colours 2 years ago and nearly cried when he got his Jersey… this year we had Flyer colours… not nearly as bad… but he would sure love to wear Islander colours.
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Coach B says:
What position does Luke play?
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aim says:
it cost me well over 1000 dollars for a 14 year old to play house league hockey this past winter. I inquired about this program but we were way past the level of play the NYI are giving. This is a great idea for the beginer hockey player. I wish it was available years back!!. If they expand this it would be for all the better, and I heard they are going to do it in the fall. My only suggestion would be for the NYI to make it a USA hockey certified program. it is absolutly a great thing either way.
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Gary says:
I wish something like this was available when I was 6. On the other hand, when I was 6 John F. Kennedy had not yet been elected President. Thanks, CB for making me feel like a senile old fart
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I signed up my 14 year old step-son from my former marriage for this program. His first session is next Monday. I can’t wait to go see him play. He is a great iceskater, but has never played ice hockey before. We were at a game together the day after Christmas and he said he really wanted to play ice hockey. I told him I would help and then after the first period we saw the scoreboard commercial for this program. He is really psyched for his first exposure to ice hockey. On a side note, he is 6 feet tall and the Islanders had to specially acquire equipment for him and came through with it. I’m very thankful.
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Islander505 says:
DITTO GARY #11.
It was roller skates (adjusted with “keys”) on tarred macadams in the park for me.
(I was 5 when JFK was elected).BTW CB…..Key line from this entry..
“It’s all about the kids”Never, ever forget that.
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Brother Rat says:
Hey, CB, if Luke need help selling those ticket vouchers (or his fellow participants do), lemme know!
Best of luck to him! Keep us posted when he scores his first hipcheck.
You know i saw those advertisements many times, and i thought they were great, but i didn’t realize how great of an offer it really is until now. Great job by the Islanders.