Last month, the Vegas Golden Knights made a very simple offer to parents in the Las Vegas Valley: bring your kids to the park to try hockey, and we'll give them a free stick and ball.
Las Vegans most definitely took advantage of the offer, as over 3,000 children signed up for three Sticks for Kids clinics across the Valley, including over 1,000 this Saturday at Anthem Hills Park in Henderson. The kids learned the fundamentals of hockey from instructors from the NHL, UNLV Hockey, and the Las Vegas Ice Center.
For many of the kids, the clinic might spark a love for the game that will last a lifetime.
"It's wonderful," said Sean Whyte, the NHL's Youth Hockey Regional Director. "I love it. To introduce the sport to such a brand new market, and hopefully get them falling in love with the game is what it's all about."
Teaching kids the basics of hockey is not just about creating hockey players: it's also about creating hockey fans. Many participants were decked out in Golden Knights shirts and hats, and even if they don't ever set foot on the ice, they'll be able to follow the Golden Knights on the ice with a little more knowledge of the sport.
Nehme Abouzeid, Vegas Golden Knights' Chief Marketing Officer, is excited about that aspect of these clinics, as well as the potential to create new hockey players.
Golden Knights Sticks For Kids Now With More Than 3,000 Registrants
More than 1,000 signed up for Saturday's event at Anthem Hills Park