Tough Economic times and new player recruitment

[My_Kid_Loves_Hockey]

What does your association do to help families who are having financial troubles so that they are still able to participate and not have to quit due to the cost? Some sort of fundraisers that do not go to the association "General fund" or specific programs families can participate in to raise money to pay their ice bills.

How about things to pull in/recruit new first time hockey players like open hockey/skating sessions?

Please share any programs or ideas you have.

[JSR]

What does your association do to help families who are having financial troubles so that they are still able to participate and not have to quit due to the cost? Some sort of fundraisers that do not go to the association "General fund" or specific programs families can participate in to raise money to pay their ice bills.

How about things to pull in/recruit new first time hockey players like open hockey/skating sessions?

Please share any programs or ideas you have.

I know our youth program offers a scholarship program for folks who find purse strings tight. Certain fund raisers go toward the scholarship.

As for new skaters. Our youth program offers a FREE Learn-to-Play program to first time hockey players. If they are between the ages of 3 & 8 and have never played hockey before they can join this program absolutely free. It is one hour every Saturday afternoon. They are even supplied free equipment for the season in exchange for a fully refundable $100 deposit that they get back when they return the equipment at the end of the season. The Learn-to-Play season goes from first Saturday in November to the last Saturday in February. Last year our little town (population 7,000, and this really is the onyl population we can draw from) had 42 players in the Learn-to-Play program. We'll be doing it again this eyar and we anticipate that we'll have another 40+ kids this year. We think those are exccellent numbers for our small community. It should be noted the ice time for the Free learn-to-play is donated each year by some kindly donors (I think it's about a 3,000 donation to make it happen for the full season)

[HockeyDad41]

del

[Educator29]

The World is going through very tough economic times. With that being said I know one program that has decided this is the year they will have the MOST ice they have ever had. So Fee's will be increased approx 20% across the board. YIKES !! Tough to build program with this type of a fiscial response plan. Hmmmm, basketball? Wrestling?

[Blue&Gold]

The World is going through very tough economic times. With that being said I know one program that has decided this is the year they will have the MOST ice they have ever had. So Fee's will be increased approx 20% across the board. YIKES !! Tough to build program with this type of a fiscial response plan. Hmmmm, basketball? Wrestling?

I've said this before: If we were starting over today, I'm not so sure that my kids would be playing hockey. It's been a great ride, but the costs are going through the roof.

[greybeard58]

How many associations are cutting back on fund raising if favor of straight payments?
How many are increasing their fundraisers?

[My_Kid_Loves_Hockey]

The reason that I brought this up came about while talking to a friend in the neighboring association. We were talking # of players for this coming season and he mentioned he knows of 4 kids who would like to play for the first time this year but the cost is keeping them away. They will have 40 or so players so that is 10% they could raise #'s.

We got talking about what each association does and were wondering what others do because it has to be affecting all association I would think.

So please share your ideas/or programs, after all the more players we can get playing (or help keep) the better it should be for our associations.

[TellItHowItIs]