After celebrating 25 years of the Columbus Blue Jackets, it can be easy to look at the hockey itself. Whether it’s Rick Nash’s first overall selection or Zach Werenski’s Norris Trophy season, there’s plenty to talk about.
But, the impact of these moments spreads far beyond the walls of Nationwide Arena, sinking roots in communities across Ohio.
In 2017, the Blue Jackets established the Power Play Challenge presented by OhioHealth and Greif to provide a free, hockey-themed wellness curriculum that assists physical education teachers in the fight against childhood obesity. What started with 20 schools has exploded to 186 in the past nine years – and that growth is only continuing.
This upcoming school year, the Power Play Challenge is open for expansion, allowing the opportunity for more students to engage in the well-rounded, active program that encourages healthy habits. This past year, more than 55,900 students in grades 2 through 5 across Central Ohio participated, but that number is set to grow, with new schools encouraged to apply at the link below.
FREE APPLICATION: Add your school to be selected into the program as a new educational partner
Physical education teacher Rick Armstrong at Granby Elementary in Worthington has worked with the Power Play Challenge for seven years now, but the inclusion of hockey in his program began alongside Columbus’ initial puck drop back in the 2000s. While sports like basketball and volleyball offered a mixed bag of experience levels, hockey was a relatively new opportunity for most of his students, putting kids on the same plane to start off.
“Our floor hockey unit was huge, and I loved it because it was unique,” Armstrong said. “There weren't a ton of kids playing it. There were a few, and the few that were good, I mean, they were really good. But it was such an even, level playing field because a lot of the kids hadn't played it. … So, when we were invited to do the Jackets Power Play Challenge program, that just bolstered my program that had already been in play.”
And since that merger between the two, Armstrong’s faith in the Blue Jackets’ curriculum remains strong.
The Power Play Challenge is designed to meet Ohio state standards for physical education curriculum for grades 2-5. Students that participates in the program receive a CBJ bracelet for each of the five challenges – jogging, fitness, agility, street hockey and nutrition – they complete. Each student who completes all five over the course of the school year will receive a special ticket offer to a Blue Jackets game.
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. After the trip, all students will walk away with their very own hockey stick and ball to keep.
On the educator side, teachers are invited each year to participate in a hands-on workshop with Blue Jackets staff to learn how to teach street hockey to elementary school students. Aside from the curriculum itself, the Power Play Challenge provides hockey sticks, nets and any other necessary equipment requested by the teachers.
The program is flexible enough to accommodate the priorities and needs of each school, which is why it has amassed such success over time.
“When people talk about the Power Play Challenge program and our Blue Jackets partnership, the thing that stands out is it was not something that was just thrown together,” Armstrong said. “There are obviously some people that really put some time and effort and thought into, ‘Hey, what do these elementary teachers need? What could be useful?’ And that really shines through, and that's something that I could tell right off the bat, and they continue to do it.”
Since hockey became a pillar in Armstrong’s curriculum, youth hockey has undergone an exponential growth in Central Ohio. From high school hockey to AAA programs, kids are more inclined to pick up the sport, but it starts in places like the classroom, where they have the chance to experience the rush of scoring a goal.
The opportunity isn’t just about growing the game of hockey, but getting kids excited about leading an active lifestyle – and seeing how fun it can be.
