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David Booth joins a group of youth players on the ice during the Orientation Camp.

Youth players join stars on the ice

By Harry Thompson, USA Hockey Magazine, 08/19/09, 11:30AM MDT

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Bobby Ryan tries to make a save while a youth player aims for the back of the net.

T.J. Oshie may have a knack for scoring goals, but he also knows how to guard the short side of the net.

After kicking away shot after shot, one industrious Mite player figured out that the best way to score on the St. Louis Blues forward was to pick up the puck and throw it into the net.

“I told him that I’d let it slide once but it wasn’t going to work anymore,” said Oshie, who still has a lot of little boy in him.

That’s why he was one of the stars of today who is looking to give a boost to future stars by donating sets of OneGoal equipment to youth hockey associations of their choice as part of the NHL Players Association’s Goals and Dreams program.

Each of the 34 players attending the U.S. Olympic Orientation Camp in Chicago in mid-August earmarked 15 sets of OneGoal equipment to be given to the youth hockey association of their choice to help provide an affordable means of trying hockey. In all, 500 sets of OneGoal equipment will be distributed.

“This is a tough economy and one of the top priorities for our organization is growing the game,” said USA Hockey Executive Director Dave Ogrean. “We have turned our attention to the foundational age levels so that we can get kids to play hockey, love hockey and stay in hockey.”

Nowhere could the kids find better role models for the love of hockey than on the ice. It’s hard to tell who had more fun on the ice, the 8-year-old kids from around the Chicago area or the U.S. Olympic hopefuls who looked to pass, stickhandle and defend against these up-and-coming players.

“I love playing with kids and do it as often as I can, especially when I work hockey schools,” said Oshie, who earmarked his sets of equipment to Warroad (Minn.) Youth Hockey, where he grew up.

“That’s how we all got started and it’s great to be around other kids who are just starting out in hockey. Hopefully they will learn to love it as much as we do.”

Most players have opted to support the programs that gave them a start in hockey, such as Ryan Kesler, who is sending gear to his hometown program in Livonia, Mich., and Connecticut native Ron Hainsey, who will help out the Eastern Connecticut Hockey Organization.

OneGoal is a nonprofit organization founded by the major hockey equipment manufacturers, with support from USA Hockey, the NHL, the NHLPA, Hockey Canada and the NHL Alumni Association. The program’s goal is to positively affect the growth of hockey, particularly at entry-level ages (4-to-8-year-olds).
Each set of starter equipment includes a helmet with face shield, chest protector, elbow pads, gloves, pants and shin pads. Youth organizations and rinks are able to purchase the OneGoal starter equipment sets at a minimal cost and lend them to prospective entry-level players to significantly reduce the cost to try the sport.

Launched in 1999 as a way for the players to give something back to the game they love, Goals & Dreams has donated full sets of equipment to more than 10,000 underprivileged children in 18 countries.

“We at the NHLPA are all about growing the game of hockey around the world,” said Paul Kelly, the head of the NHLPA.

“We are privileged to partner with USA Hockey and trying to help break down those cost barriers that make it hard to get young kids in the sport.”