The Ontario Minor Hockey Association is offering free sets of hockey equipment to families across the province.
The program administered by the OMHA is designed to encourage families and kids to try the sport, and the recipient communities were unveiled Wednesday. The program is called Player and Goalie Assist, and provides free sets of CCM player and goalie gear to young players in need. The equipment is sized for U9 and Below age groups. A total of 70 Associations were selected to each receive a full set of goalie gear, and 10 Associations received 10 full sets of player gear this season.
Many communities across Midwestern Ontario are receiving either player or goalie equipment, and some are receiving both, such as Blyth-Brussels, Mount Forest and South Bruce.
“The Player Assist and Goalie Assist programs have been able to make our sport more equitable,” said Karly Maurice, U9 Convenor with Penetanguishene Minor Hockey, one of dozens of Associations receiving the equipment. “Eliminating some the cost in the equipment means that we have more members that are joining who aren’t traditionally hockey families, so it’s really helping grow our Association.”
The full sets of equipment include:
Goalie Assist: catcher, blocker, chest protector, pads, stick, bag.
Player Assist: shin pads, pants, shoulder pads, elbow pads, gloves, helmet, neck guard
ASSOCIATIONS RECEIVING FREE GOALIE EQUIPMENT
Ajax-Pickering Apsley Arran-Elderslie Aylmer Ayr Bancroft Beeton Belle River Belleville Beverly Bradford Bruce Peninsula Burford Burlington Campbellford Cayuga Centre Hastings Centre Wellington Chatsworth & District Clearview Colborne Coldwater Delhi Dorchester Dresden Dunnville Elmvale Embro Erin-Hillsburgh Hespeler Huntsville Huron-Bruce Ilderton Ingersoll Jordan Kent Millbrook Milton Minto Township Mitchell North Middlesex Norwood Oro Otonabee Point Edward Port Colborne Quinte West Seaforth Shallow Lake Shelburne South Grey South Huron St. Marys St. Thomas Stirling Thorold Walkerton Warkworth Wasaga Beach Welland West Lorne Windsor Wingham
ASSOCIATIONS RECEIVING FREE PLAYER EQUIPMENT
Lambton Shores Lindsay Loyalist
ASSOCIATIONS RECEIVING BOTH FREE GOALIE AND PLAYER EQUIPMENT
Belmont Blyth-Brussels Mount Forest Norwich Penetanguishene South Bruce Tweed