The second session of the Learn to Play program in the Cedar Valley begins on January 6th with registration underway from now through mid-December, the Waterloo Black Hawks announced Wednesday.
 
Learn to Play was created through the joint efforts of the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players Association.  It is being offered in the Cedar Valley thanks to support from Community Bank & Trust and through the collective efforts of the Black Hawks, the Waterloo Youth Hockey Association, and USA Hockey.
 
"Families from Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and surrounding communities have been very excited to participate this fall, and many kids have said how much they enjoy this opportunity to get on the ice with Black Hawks players," said Black Hawks President and COO Joe Greene.  "I would like to thank Community Bank and Trust for their enthusiastic support for Learn to Play which is helping to grow our hockey community."
 
In addition to a complete set of head-to-toe equipment and 16 instructional sessions, participating families are also receiving the opportunity to attend Black Hawks games, thanks to Community Bank & Trust.  The participating girls and boys aged 5 to 10 will also get the thrill of skating in front of a Young Arena crowd during the Waterloo Black Hawks' game on Friday, November 20th against the Sioux Falls Stampede.
 
Learn to Play Session 2 opens January 6th and will include on-ice instruction each Wednesday evening through April 21st.  The program is $300 per new player and includes a helmet, pads, gloves, skates, stick, and jersey.  Session 1 participants are invited to continue for $200 per player (the renewal option does NOT include equipment).  Learn to Play instruction is led by Waterloo Black Hawks players and coaches. Early registration is encouraged to assure delivery of equipment before the program begins. To sign up, click here: www.wyha.org/program/learn-to-play-hockey-ltp/34969

As part of the Waterloo Black Hawks' ongoing commitment to growing the game of hockey and making it accessible to all families throughout the Cedar Valley, the team is excited to introduce a new scholarship opportunity! A limited number of scholarships are available to families who may need financial assistance, with each scholarship covering the full $300 program registration fee, as well as the required USA Hockey membership registration. The goal is to ensure that financial barriers don't prevent young athletes from experiencing the excitement of hockey, learning new skills, and developing a lifelong love for the game. Families interested in receiving financial assistance are encouraged to complete the scholarship application here. All information submitted will remain strictly confidential.

Communities throughout North America have benefitted from this collaboration between the NHL, NHLPA, and USA Hockey.  The Learn to Play program provides a unique opportunity for families to join the hockey community and for participants to develop fundamental skills to help them succeed both on and off the ice. Learn to Play is supported by the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund (IGF), with the goal of inspiring youth and engaging more families with the active hockey community.  Designed for first-time players between the ages of 5-10 years old, Learn to Play has welcomed over 100,000 participants to the sport since 2008. Already well-established in many NHL markets, Waterloo is currently one of just eight affiliates in smaller communities across the United States.
 
For more information about Learn to Play, visit learntoplay.nhl.com.
 
Established in 2013 by the National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players' Association, and supported by the NHL's 32 Clubs, the Industry Growth Fund supports and accelerates NHL and Club business initiatives that promote long-term fan development, increase participation at all levels of hockey with an emphasis on youth, and build hockey awareness and avidity in local Club markets and across the United States and Canada. Since its inception, the IGF has dedicated more than $240 million to programming, initiatives, events and education that reach diverse audiences, create unique hockey opportunities for players and fans, and bring hockey to communities across North America.