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Building blocks of grassroots programs

10/03/2016, 10:30am MDT
By Jessi Pierce

USA Hockey’s Affiliate Block Grants are growing programs – and associations – in Wisconsin and across the nation

USA Hockey’s Affiliate Block Grants are growing programs – and associations – in Wisconsin and across the nation

“If you build it, they will come.”

For years, Al Deming and the Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association has been putting a new spin on the iconic “Field of Dreams” movie phrase: Build up new hockey programs, and the hockey players will come.

Thanks to the USA Hockey Foundation’s Affiliate Block Grants, Deming and WAHA, along with the country’s 37 other affiliates, have been able to grow the game at the grassroots level. Affiliate Block Grants were designed in the early 2000s to help fund grassroots programs in their respective areas. For the players in WAHA and the associations, it’s been money well spent.

“We are so grateful to have been able to use the grant money in a variety of ways,” said Deming, WAHA president. “From player development at the 14U, 12U and 8U levels with the ADM (USA Hockey’s American Development Model), to coaching clinics and other events, we’ve been able to make great use of the grant money to really help our local associations grow the game.”

Recipients of the Affiliate Block Grant since its inception, WAHA has found new ways to use the grant money, recently focusing on two main projects to continue growing and developing all players, coaches and parents in the state of Wisconsin.

In conjunction with WAHA’s annual meetings, block grant money has been put toward hosting a workshop for all local associations. The weekend begins Friday evening with a goalie education seminar for coaches, followed by a social that night. Saturday focuses on every person involved in the association, from the president to the scheduler and rink managers. Courses and workshops appeal to all interested in being involved. The numbers of those interested has grown dramatically in the past two years.

 “We started out four years ago with 70 or 80 participants,” Deming said. “Now it’s grown to 200 this past year. Most of our associations are at 100 percent (participation) in the workshop. It’s been just great to see. The grant money has been a real important part of funding that type of program for us and has helped our associations a lot, too.”

The second initiative gives WAHA’s associations the chance to create their own grassroots program. Started just last year, Deming and company decided to offer five grants worth $1,000 in each of WAHA’s six regions, totaling $30,000 going back in grant form to local associations. Associations simply have to submit a proposal on how they will use the grant money to grow the game at the grassroots level. Proposals can range from coaching education seminars to association retreats—anything as long as it helps grow the game. The WAHA board selects the top five applicants from each region. Once the recipients of the grant complete their program or project, they have to provide feedback on how the money was used, what was accomplished, how many additional skaters were gained and so on. From Deming’s standpoint it’s been a big success.

“This past year we had 52 associations apply for the 30 grants being awarded,” said Deming. “It’s so beneficial to use our (Affiliate Block) grant to give our local associations the opportunity to apply for their own grant and fund their own grassroots project.

“That’s the great thing about the grant program, it’s so important to the growth of the game. It’s an excellent program to give every local affiliate the opportunity to help local associations, and really make the game more affordable for skaters and help them develop in some of the best programs that they can. 

“With it, we get to create these young skaters and give them that love for the game.”

“If you build it, and they will come.”

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