Photo of a group of young children playing street hockey at a Power Play Challenge event.
Photo of a young boy shooting a ball with a hockey stick during a Blue Jackets Power Play Challenge event.
Photo of two young children stick handling with hockey sticks and balls during a Blue Jackets Power Play Challenge event.

BLUE JACKETS POWER PLAY CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY GREIF AND OHIOHEALTH

Blue Jackets Power Play Challenge presented by OhioHealth and Greif, is a FREE, hockey-themed wellness curriculum to assist physical education teachers in the fight against childhood obesity. The goal is to make a healthy lifestyle both enjoyable and easy for kids to maintain.

The Challenge is designed to meet Ohio state standards for physical education curriculum for grades 2-5 and aims to keep children active while encouraging healthy choices.

Students will be given five fitness-related challenges to complete individually and the class/grade will receive an introduction to street hockey. Each student who completes all five challenges over the course of the school year will receive a special ticket offer to a Blue Jackets game.

Blue Jackets Power Play Challenge, presented by Greif and OhioHealth, logo on white background.

The Five Challenges

Each student participates in a series of five challenges during the unit. Subject to change based on district and school programming strategy.

  1. Jogging Challenge: Run three miles (cumulative).
  2. Fitness Challenge: Complete 50 push-ups and 50 sit-ups (cumulative).
  3. Agility Challenge: Learn and complete three hockey drills: stickhandling, passing and shooting.
  4. Street Hockey Challenge: Participate in a game while utilizing skills learned in the agility challenge (street hockey game, relay race, one-on-one drill, etc).
  5. Nutrition Challenge: Demonstrate an understanding of healthy eating habits utilizing the grocery list and healthy meal handout.

In addition, the highest grade in each school that completes the challenges will be invited to a field trip at an OhioHealth Chiller ice rink during the school year, at no cost to the school. The field trip will consist of a STEM-focused facility tour, public skate, and on-ice skating instruction. Students of the highest grade level who complete the Power Play Challenge will receive their very own hockey stick and ball to keep!

Power Play Challenge Starter Kit

The Blue Jackets will provide all necessary supplies to implement the Power Play Challenge, at no cost. Starter kits provided to each school will include the following Blue Jackets-branded items:

  • Street hockey equipment: 50 youth and 5 adult sticks, 50 pinnies, a stick bag, 50 balls and 2 hockey nets
  • Wall charts to track progress in gym class
  • Student nutrition worksheet
  • Teacher manual

Blue Jackets will provide updated materials and opportunity to request replacement equipment, if needed, with each subsequent school year.

Teacher Workshop

To equip teachers with resources, tools, and training to implement the Power Play Challenge at their respective schools, the Blue Jackets host an instructional engagement workshop at Nationwide Arena. At this event, physical education teachers will be provided with program updates and participate in a hands-on workshop with Blue Jackets staff to learn how to teach street hockey safely and effectively to elementary school students.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO BE A BLUE JACKETS POWER PLAY PARTNER

For additional assistance, please contact Tommy Trowell at [email protected] or (614) 246-4152.

To date through Power Play Challenge, the Columbus Blue Jackets have partnered with 18 Central Ohio school districts impacting 186 elementary schools and over 56,000 students each year.

The Power Play Challenge is supported by the Industry Growth Fund (IGF), which was created by the NHLPA and the NHL as part of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, in order to help grow the game of hockey.