Capitals Announce ALL CAPS ALL HER Female Hockey Platform
Initiative aims to provide access to hockey and elevate the game for women and girls of all ages throughout Washington, D.C., region
ALL CAPS ALL HER recognizes and supports female players, coaches, referees, parents, advocates, students and leaders in the community. Events, programs and content will provide various levels of entry into hockey for women and girls of all ages, offer leadership, business development, and networking opportunities and highlight influential women and families in the community.
"The Washington Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment have always taken pride in being leaders in our community, and the ALL CAPS ALL HER platform is an innovative and important step in creating the next generation of hockey players and Caps fans," said Capitals vice president of marketing Amanda Tischler. "Through continued and new programming for the female hockey community, we look forward to continuing to grow the game throughout the D.C. region and beyond."
ALL CAPS ALL HER is launched with the support of organizations including the National Hockey League (NHL), National Hockey League Players' Association, USA Hockey, MedStar Capitals Iceplex, Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association, Chesapeake Bay Hockey League, Washington Pride, DMV Women's Hockey and Black Girl Hockey Club.
"Hockey is a better sport and a stronger community when women are empowered to make their mark on the game, from the ice to the boardroom," said Kim Davis, NHL senior executive vice president of social impact, growth initiatives, and legislative affairs. "By creating intentional pathways for women and girls in hockey, the Capitals are supporting and highlighting female leaders who will help move the game forward both now and in the future."
ALL CAPS ALL HER encompasses:
Youth and Adult Hockey Programming:
For the first time, the Capitals will host an all-girls Learn to Play program presented by Thundercat Technology for girls ages 10-14, an all-female adult Learn to Skate series and an adult Learn to Play program for women 18+. With the addition of these three programs, the Capitals will offer entry-level hockey programming for women and girls of all ages.
For the second consecutive year, the Capitals will conclude the 2021-22 season with various summer activations, including the Skarupa Skills Summer Camp, hosted by Capitals Hockey Ambassador and Team USA Olympian Haley Skarupa.
The Capitals also renewed their support of the newly-branded Capitals Women's Hockey League presented by Giant at MedStar Capitals Iceplex and are working closely with adult players and organizations within the D.C. community to grow and promote female adult hockey participation.
The dedicated programs aim to add new players to the growing female hockey population and support current players in the Washington market. According to USA Hockey there were a total of 2,469 registered female players (1,740 youth players and 729 adult players) registered in the 2019-20 season, up from 1,932 in the 2015-16 season. This season, the local Chesapeake Bay Hockey League (Tier II) currently has 32 all-girls teams playing.
ALL CAPS ALL HER
Business Development and Networking:
Beginning with the 2021-22 season, the Capitals will host events and activations to elevate and educate women in business development, sports management, and leadership. Events will include, but are not limited to, networking days with Monumental Sports & Entertainment female executives and local females in the sports industry, integration with local Sports Management undergraduate and masters' students at local colleges and universities and a larger presence within the Monumental Sports & Entertainment internal Women's Development Initiative.
Coach and Referee Education:
The Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association, the Washington, D.C. area local USA Hockey affiliate, is currently experiencing a community-wide shortage of referees. The Capitals are committed to providing resources and education in order to support and grow referee participation, particularly among women and girls.
The Capitals are also committed to further providing educational resources for coaches in the Washington, D.C. area and will renew and expand their Coaches Day programming. The Capitals will also work with USA Hockey to provide training opportunities for coaches at all levels.
Families of Hockey:
The Washington, D.C., hockey community is full of families, coaches, players, referees, leaders, advocates and allies. Throughout the 2021-22 season and beyond, the Capitals will highlight and recognize influential families and members of the hockey community that help to grow the game for women and girls in the area.
Capitals Youth Hockey Development will be an integral part of the programming.
"As a female hockey player and D.C. native, it is exciting to have our organization provide more opportunities for women and girls in our area," said Jessie Thompson, Capitals manager of youth hockey development. "The pillars we have created will have a huge impact on the growth of hockey in our market, and we are excited to execute programs that will leave a lasting impression on local girls as they learn more about themselves both as athletes and as members of our community."
The Capitals will be hosting Women in Hockey Night on March 28th to celebrate the contributions of female hockey players, leaders and role models who help shape our game throughout the greater Washington area.
For more information and program registration, visit
WashCaps.com/AllCapsAllHer.
