#NHLPeachy NHL and NHLPA Partner with Bauer Hockey’s First Shift New Partnership Aims to Continue Growing Hockey at the Grassroots Level
Bauer Hockey announced today that together with founding partner Hockey Canada, they have joined forces with the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and National Hockey League (NHL) to continue to advance and strengthen the First Shift program – an innovative and successful learn-to-play initiative designed to welcome new-to-hockey families to the game. The three-year partnership brings together some of the most influential organizations in hockey to further elevate the program experience and continue to grow hockey participation at the grassroots level in Canada.
Through this partnership, the NHL® and NHLPA will provide the program with additional resources, marketing/media platforms and a unique local brand identity utilizing the seven Canadian NHL clubs and NHL alumni, in collaboration with Hockey Canada. The partners will explore ways to effectively broaden the program, extending into more rural communities, offering additional programming specifically designed for girls and providing new special programming for participants with disabilities – each of which continue to grow in popularity and availability in the hockey community.
“The NHL and NHLPA are premier partners because of their unique ability to elevate the First Shift experience and increase exposure, both of which will help attract more families to this successful program and ultimately to our game,” said Mary-Kay Messier, VP of Global Marketing for Bauer Hockey and a founder of the First Shift. “I’m proud to be working closely with the NHL and its member clubs, the NHLPA and our founding partner, Hockey Canada. Our collective passion and efforts will allow us to bring exceptional first-time experiences to more families and expand our offerings to make our game more accessible and inclusive.”
The NHL® First Shift programs will be affiliated with an NHL Canadian team determined by geographic proximity. NHL team names and logos will be incorporated into the branding to further elevate the excitement and experience for the participants, allowing for expanded program offerings – for example, the Edmonton Oilers® First Shift. In areas where there is no team affiliation, the national program will go by NHL/NHLPA First Shift. Current NHL players, NHL Alumni and elite female players will more regularly participate in First Shift events, including on-ice sessions with kids and families.
“We are excited to partner with Bauer Hockey and Hockey Canada on this important grassroots program and will continue to lean on our Clubs to share their expertise and provide community activations in their local markets,” said Rob Knesaurek, NHL Group Vice President of Youth Hockey and Industry Growth Fund. “Our goal is to help Canadian families experience the very best of our great game and in turn share their generational knowledge with other new-to-hockey families.”
“Introducing families and children from all backgrounds, across Canada, to the game of hockey is something that is extremely important to the NHLPA and the Players,” said Rob Zepp, NHLPA Manager of Special Projects. “Joining with Bauer and Hockey Canada to expand the First Shift program continues the long history of the NHLPA and its members supporting grassroots hockey initiatives and helping provide access to the game that has given us all so much.”
“We are very proud to work with the NHL, the Canadian NHL clubs, NHLPA and Bauer Hockey in delivering the First Shift to communities across Canada,” said Scott Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer for Hockey Canada. “Introducing thousands of kids to our great game each season through this program would not be possible without the tireless work of our provincial and territorial member partners and the volunteers who bring the game to life from coast to coast to coast.”
The First Shift History
The Bauer Hockey Grow the Game initiative, founded in 2013 in partnership with Hockey Canada, has seen 22,236 Canadian children participate in the First Shift program.
The initiative was built on the 2013 finding that nine out of 10 Canadian children did not play hockey. In 2014, the two organizations created and launched the First Shift, a program designed to introduce hockey in a way that is affordable, convenient, accessible and – most importantly – fun, all of which were perceived barriers in a research study of non-hockey families. The program is focused on children ages 6 – 10 years old who have never played hockey.
To overcome these barriers, the First Shift was designed to offer a fun and easy way to sample hockey through a $199 six-week program that includes everything from head-to-toe gear fitted properly, to ice time, to coaching instruction. The programs are typically offered on the same day of the week at the same time at the same location, helping to make it easier for families to plan. Each program kicks off with a Welcome Event featuring BAUER Fit Experts who ensure the appropriate gear selection and sizing for participants, and help parents and kids become more familiar with the hockey community.
The First Shift program is administered through Hockey Canada’s minor hockey associations who apply to be a part of their community offering. For the 2019-20 season, more than 185 minor hockey associations have already applied, demonstrating the success and local interest in this initiative. Families, kids and minor hockey associations that would like to learn more should visit FirstShift.ca.
First Shift: By the Numbers
91,500
Number of hours of on-ice volunteer support
22,336
Number of First Shift participants since its creation in 2014
6,100
Number of instructors who have volunteered their time to run First Shift programs
2014
Youngest birth year required to participate in the 2019-20 season
609
Number of First Shift programs hosted across Canada since 2014
300
Minutes of ice time minimum for each participant (six sessions x 50 minutes)
295 Oh Canada! Number of Canadian-born players on 2019-20 opening night NHL rosters
199
Program cost for a participant in Canadian dollars, including head-to-toe gear, six ice sessions and coaching instruction
180
Number of NHL® First Shift programs scheduled for the 2019-20 hockey season
100
Percentage of First Shift kids that had fun in the program
100
Percentage of parents that would recommend the program to a friend
52
Number of all-girls First Shift programs offered between 2014 and 2018
32
Percentage of female participants
31
Number of all-girls NHL® First Shift programs planned for the 2019-20 hockey season
14
Pieces of equipment supplied to a participant*
10
Oldest age (January 1, 2009) to participate in an NHL® First Shift
7
Canadian NHL Clubs participating in an NHL® First Shift program
6
Youngest age (March 1, 2014) to participate in an NHL® First Shift
4
Number of First Shift pilot communities during the First Shift inaugural year of 2014
2
Number of para-programs in 2018-19 with more planned for the 2019-20 season
1:4
Ratio of instructors/skaters
Data is directly from First Shift program and enrollment information or from an independent survey completed by Bauer prior to First Shift program launch in 2013. This survey was used to understand perceived barriers to hockey for non-hockey families and to design a program to break those down.
*Pieces of equipment includes: bag, jersey, socks, jock/jill, shin guards, hockey pants, shoulder pads, elbow pads, neck guard, gloves, helmet, face mask, stick and skates
About Bauer Hockey
Bauer Hockey is the world's most recognized designer, marketer and manufacturer of hockey equipment and is the No. 1 brand in hockey. Founded in Kitchener, Ontario, in 1927, Bauer Hockey developed the first skate with a blade attached to a boot, forever changing the game of hockey. Since then, Bauer Hockey has continued to develop the most sought-after products in the industry, including the widely successful SUPREME®, VAPOR® and NEXUS® lines of products.
About Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada is the governing body for hockey in Canada and a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), with a membership through its 13 member associations of over 750,000 players, coaches and officials. Hockey Canada is a not-for-profit organization that creates leading-edge hockey development programs for its members to deliver in communities across Canada; provides consistent rules and regulations and various other membership services from coast to coast to coast; manages numerous regional, national and international hockey championships and events; and leads the operation of all teams that represent Canada in international competition. Hockey Canada’s mission is to lead, develop and promote positive hockey experiences. For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
About the National Hockey League Players’ Association
The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), established in 1967, is a labour organization whose members are the players in the National Hockey League (NHL). The NHLPA works on behalf of the players in varied disciplines such as labour relations, product licensing, marketing, international hockey and community relations, all in furtherance of its efforts to promote its members and the game of hockey. In 1999, the NHLPA launched the Goals & Dreams fund as a way for the players to give something back to the game they love. Over the past 19 years, more than 80,000 deserving children in 34 countries have benefited from the players' donations of hockey equipment. NHLPA Goals & Dreams has donated more than $24 million to grassroots hockey programs, making it the largest program of its kind. For more information on the NHLPA, please visit www.nhlpa.com.
About the NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL®), founded in 1917, consists of 31 Member Clubs and proudly welcomes its 32nd franchise, based in Seattle, for the 2021-22 season. Each team roster reflects the League’s international makeup with players from more than 20 countries represented, all vying for the most cherished and historic trophy in professional sports – the Stanley Cup®. Gary Bettman has served the NHL as Commissioner since February 1, 1993 and has guided the world’s top professional hockey league to more than $5 billion in annual revenues and partnerships with more than 40 blue chip corporate sponsors. Every year, the NHL entertains more than 670 million fans in-arena and through its partners on national television and radio; more than 151 million followers - league, team and player accounts combined - across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube; and more than 100 million fans online at NHL.com. The League broadcasts games in more than 160 countries and territories through its rightsholders including NBC/NBCSN and the NHL Network™ in the U.S., Sportsnet and TVA in Canada, Viasat in the Nordic Region, Yandex in Russia and CCTV and Tencent in China. The NHL reaches fans worldwide with games available online in every country including via its live and on-demand streaming service NHL.TV™. Having entered the esports world in 2018, the League hosts the NHL Gaming World Championship™ annually, drawing record digital streaming audiences during the 2019 campaign. Fans are engaged across the League’s digital assets on mobile devices via the free NHL® App; across nine social media platforms; on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio™; and on NHL.com, available in eight languages and featuring unprecedented access to player and team statistics as well as every regular-season and playoff game box score dating back to the League’s inception, powered by SAP. The NHL is committed to building healthy and vibrant communities through the sport of hockey by increasing youth participation and engagement; fostering positive family experiences; promoting inclusion, positive culture and leadership; and supporting sustainable community impact.
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