Youth Hockey
We foster the growth, accessibility, and sustainability of youth hockey in the Pittsburgh region and beyond.
our impact
17K+
children have participated in the Little Penguins Learn to Play Hockey program since 2008.09
23%
increase in participation in Highmark Hunt Armory programs from 2023.24–2024.25
180K+
elementary school students have received free hockey equipment through PensFIT since 2012
Sidney Crosby’s Little Penguins Learn to Play Hockey
Presented by DICK'S Sporting Goods
Sidney Crosby’s Little Penguins Learn to Play Hockey is an introductory program for children ages 5 to 9 to learn the fundamental skills of hockey in a fun and safe environment. The program consists of 8 to 10 sessions of on-ice instruction from certified coaches at a local hosting ice rink. Little Penguins participants receive head-to-toe equipment, a monthly newsletter with exclusive content, discounts on Penguins tickets, program rewards at Penguins games, special event opportunities, and a welcome packet and gift.
The NHL and NHLPA present the Little Penguins program with the support of Crosby, DICK’S Sporting Goods, and USA Hockey. The Learn to Play program began in Pittsburgh in 2008 and has become a league-wide initiative for the NHL.
pittsburgh pennies
The Pittsburgh Pennies girls hockey program supports the Penguin’s commitment to making hockey more accessible and inclusive, promoting gender equality in the sport. Funded by nearly $300,000 from the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund and the Penguins Foundation, the program builds on existing community efforts to enhance and sustain girls’ hockey.
The program is named after the Pittsburgh Pennies, the city’s first women’s hockey team, founded in 1972. This team, which featured players of all ages, was part of the Mid-Atlantic Women’s Hockey League and played throughout the Northeast and Canada. Their establishment was timely with the introduction of Title IX, pivotal in advancing women’s sports opportunities… Read More
29
local partner rinks provided with 50 sets of youth hockey equipment
Try Hockey For Free
Presented by U.S. Steel
With support from the National Hockey League’s Industry Growth Fund, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Penguins Foundation have provided 29 local partner rinks with 50 sets of hockey equipment for children to Try Hockey For Free. The initiative, presented by U. S. Steel, encourages kids, ages 4 to 9, to try the sport of ice hockey with no cost or commitment. Encompassing USA Hockey’s Try Hockey For Free days each November and February, children can borrow equipment and participate in a clinic at a local hosting ice rink for an introduction to ice hockey. No prior skating and/or hockey experience is required to participate.
Learn to Skate
The Penguins Foundation offers the Learn to Skate program at the Highmark Hunt Armory Ice Rink in Shadyside to kids ages 4 to 10, teaching the basics of ice skating. This introductory program takes place in a fun and supportive environment under the guidance of certified coaches. Participants will learn essential techniques such as forward two-foot glide, fall and recover, and swizzles, among other skills.
With small class sizes ensuring personalized attention, the program encourages young skaters to progress at their own pace while mastering the fundamentals necessary for more advanced skating or entry into ice sports.
PPS Obama Eagles Hockey
In coordination with Pittsburgh Public Schools Obama Academy, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Penguins Foundation invite Obama Academy middle school students to participate in a beginner-level ice hockey after-school program during their winter sports season at the Highmark Hunt Armory Ice Rink.
Willie O’Ree Academy
Presented by DICK'S Sporting Goods
The Willie O’Ree Academy, presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, is an initiative designed to support local Black youth hockey players and their families in overcoming the unique challenges they face within the hockey community. This training and enrichment program aims to advance hockey skills while developing a solid social support network. Weekly off-season training includes on-ice skills sessions, and strength and conditioning. Throughout the hockey season, families gather monthly for educational workshops and special events at no cost to participants.
Project Power Play in partnership with Highmark
Project Power Play is a decade-plus, $2.3 million venture that provides 15 outdoor, multi-use facilities to thousands of kids in the tri-state area. Currently, Project Power Play 2.0 is underway. This Penguins Foundation initiative maintains and updates the community dek hockey rinks it built with Highmark with an additional $100,000 over two years. Funding supports upgrades at five dek rinks, including Oakmont (Riverside Park), McCandless (North Park), Richland Township (Richland Community Park), South Park Township (South Park), and Oakdale (Settler’s Cabin Park).
Penguins Cup Playoffs
The Penguins Cup features high school ice hockey teams from Western Pennsylvania competing in a tournament organized by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League (PIHL). The NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins oversee the finals, which take place across three divisions: A, AA, and AAA. The competition crowns the regional Penguins Cup Champions from Western Pennsylvania, and the champions from each division then face off against the Eastern Pennsylvania Flyers Cup winners in the Pennsylvania State High School Ice Hockey Championship.
Prospects Youth Hockey
During the Penguins’ development camp each off-season, the team’s prospects host a series of youth hockey clinics to teach the basics of the sport. These clinics are an opportunity for young athletes to learn directly from the future stars of the Penguins. In the summer, the clinics include a special ball hockey session hosted by the Penguins Foundation and held at DICK’S Sporting Goods House of Sport.
Pensfit Ball Hockey
PensFIT, presented by FedEx Ground since 2012, plays a crucial role in fostering an interest in hockey among young students by providing free floor hockey equipment to over 650 qualifying elementary schools across 10 Southwestern Pennsylvania counties. This ball hockey program has equipped more than 180,000 students with the necessary gear to experience and enjoy hockey.
By removing financial barriers and making hockey accessible, PensFIT introduces the sport to thousands of children and helps cultivate a lifelong enthusiasm for hockey, promoting physical fitness and teamwork skills from a young age.
