In December 2014, the USA Hockey Foundation launched its inaugural It Starts With A Stick Campaign with the goal of raising $150,000 to gift 12,000 sticks to new hockey players during Hockey Weekend Across America. Kids like Jacob Fee, who had never skated before, laced up for their first time at the annual Try Hockey For Free Day and were given a stick to take home, thanks to the generous donations from hockey fans and benefactors across America.
“This is an exciting project that will help new kids trying hockey maintain and grow their passion for the sport," said Ron DeGregorio, then-president of USA Hockey and the USA Hockey Foundation before the launch. "I'm confident the generosity of the hockey community and beyond will help us reach our goal."
Fast forward to Feb. 19-Feb. 26, 2017, and Hockey Weekend Across America has expanded to Hockey Week Across America—marking its 10th anniversary—and the USA Hockey Foundation will continue its tradition of gifting sticks to new players with It Starts With A Stick, now in its third year.
A Passion is Born
Last year, Phineas (Finn) Neary, from Cleveland, Ohio, took home a stick after attending Try Hockey For Free Day. Now, you can count his mother, Toni Neary, among the true believers of the campaign.
“I have to tell you that the entire process has been spectacular,” said Neary. “Hockey has taught him that, if you work hard and put in the time to practice, you can learn anything.”
After being gifted a stick, Finn started skating lessons, moved on to basic hockey skills, and now plays in a community league. The right-hander uses the stick he received at Try Hockey For Free Day for his games, and also managed to get his sister to let him use the stick she received from the event for off-ice stick handling practice at home.
Benefits Beyond the Ice
Many parents—Neary included—face parenting challenges, like a lack of perseverance or stick-to-itiveness in their children, and not just in athletics.
“Since starting hockey, Finn’s math and reading skills in first grade have advanced,” said Neary. “A big reason being that he learned that, when you work hard, it gets easier. I see a direct correlation.”
On and off the ice, the Nearys have benefitted from the strong community and healthy environment that hockey provides.
“Hockey has been amazing for Finn and our family. It has been great to see the friendships he is forming and the relationships he is making from respecting coaches, teammates and competitors,” said Neary. “We could not be happier to be a hockey family now.”
Finn has also become quite a fan, too. He recently had the opportunity to be out on the ice for the national anthem before an American League Hockey game and it left quite an impression on him.
“Finn said that his heart ‘filled with pride’,” said Neary.
And while its too early to tell whether winning a gold medal or hoisting the Stanley Cup is in Finn’s future, he said that he might even want to coach hockey someday.
For kids like Finn, and for families like the Nearys, it’s true what they say: it really does start with a stick.
To learn more about It Starts With A Stick, including donation information, visit usahockeyfoundation.com/STICKS. For more information on Hockey Weekend Across America, visit hockeyweekendacrossamerica.com. Follow on Twitter and Facebook with #GiftAStick.
Tag(s): Contact
