Blue Jackets Hockey League provides opportunity for growth

As Columbus continues to grow as an outstanding hockey town, so does the need for youth hockey and development.

Since the establishment of the Blue Jackets over two decades ago, the team and community have established numerous learn-to-play programs and beginner-level opportunities. However, there seemed to be a gap between the first time the kids stepped on the ice to when they were lacing up their skates for the high school stage.

In 2022, the Blue Jackets Hockey League was implemented in hopes to bridge this disconnect. The Blue Jackets Hockey League is a recreational program in Central Ohio, welcoming players boys and girls aged 5-14 years old. Home to approximately 1,600 youngsters, the league is the next step in player development for kids who have finished learn-to-play programs.

“What we are is the continue to play version after the learn to play,” said Dave Caruso, the senior director of amateur hockey programming for the Blue Jackets. “They have the Learn to Play program, which is step 1, 2 and 3 that gets kids into hockey and improves their skills. Once they get into Hockey 3, they are able to enter the Blue Jackets Hockey League, so they need that requirement to come in and then it is an easy transition.”

The structure of the league follows that of the American Development Model coupled with the long-term athlete development principles, both stemming from USA Hockey. Specifically, the goals are to have more Americans “Play, Love and Excel” in the sport of ice hockey.

“The Blue Jackets Hockey League follows our ADM principles focusing on what makes for a great youth sport experience,” said Ken Martel, senior director of player and coach development for USA Hockey. “For example, our five elements of a quality practice at every age – fun, challenge, looks like the game, constant decision making and repetition without repetitiveness.”

The Blue Jackets Hockey League separates itself by prioritizing training based on age and what is developmentally appropriate for the kids, with teams ranging from 6-and-under all the way to 14-and-under. Programs who have adopted these ideas have seen significant growth in participation and level of performance by their athletes.

“The most important thing is doing what is age appropriate and developmentally appropriate for the kids,” Caruso said. “We use that to guide us in everything we do and all our programming because in the end, we want every kid to play hockey and stay in the sport.”

In addition to the USA Hockey training models, the league also uses their education and coach training platforms to make sure their staff is properly informed. They use background checks and SafeSport to keep everyone safe and protected.

Coaches for the league are a mixture of volunteer parents and what they call “development coaches,” who are on the ice with the volunteers helping “coach the coaches” at the moment.

“The focus is on what we are doing and how we are supporting our coaches and volunteers because that is a huge part of what we are trying to do,” Caruso said. “We say that coach development is player development, so what USA Hockey is doing with their coaching clinics and coaching education, all of our coaches need to have, but then adding on top of that by supporting the coaches and volunteers in the field.”

With more than 300 volunteers last season, this means there are coaches ranging from years of experience all the way to being brand new to the sport. But that’s what’s so great about the opportunity according to R.J. Umberger, the former Blue Jackets player who is now both a coach in the program and a father of a young son taking part.

“For me as a parent, it's awesome to get to watch my kid play and do the things that I grew up doing and love to do,” Umberger said. “For us, it's a way to connect and bond. The Blue Jackets Hockey League provides opportunities for him to be on the ice and touch the puck as many times as he can while having fun and being around kids his age, making new friends and just really enhancing his level of passion for the game of hockey, while I get to be right there coaching.”

Another benefit to the league is the locality. Teams are available at all OhioHealth Chiller North, Chiller Easton and Chiller Dublin. The younger age groups are set at one “home” location, while the older players rotate games among the three rinks. In other leagues, players and families instead find themselves traveling hours on end in order to participate in games and tournaments.

Another way the leadership is trying to create inclusivity is through scholarships. The idea is to eliminate the economic barrier surrounding the sport, which allows for retention within not just the league but the sport as a whole.

The Blue Jackets Hockey League has found a way to instill passion for the sport of hockey into the youth community all while maintaining their golden rule of doing the right thing for everybody.

“The direction it's going, along with the leadership of the Blue Jackets Hockey League couldn't be any better,” Umberger said. “It's just a great place for your kids to play.”

Sign-ups and further information for the upcoming fall and winter seasons can be found here.