Local Female Youth and USA Hockey Initiatives
In coordination with USA Hockey, the Flyers have helped usher in the next wave of hockey players with initiatives set in place by the national program. USA Hockey welcomed over 22,000 registered female 8-and-Under players across the country in the 2017-18 year, cementing the age group as the fastest growing membership contingent within USA Hockey overall. Across the full slate of USA Hockey programs, players range from 6-and-Under through adult with opportunities to participate in not only leagues and tournaments, but developmental camps and educational curriculums, as well.
More specifically, the growth of youth participation within the Atlantic District, which includes Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, has seen a 34.4% increase in females 18 and under in its past five seasons. The Flyers market itself has posted a 28.8% increase in the same timeframe. These numbers only continue to grow year after year as more female specific programs materialize. Most recently, the Flyers partnered with USA Hockey in October to host a free Girls Hockey Summit in conjunction with World Girls Ice Hockey Weekend. The event saw nearly 300 female players and their parents participate in on-and-off-ice training sessions, panel discussions, and Q-and-A sessions with females in the industry, including college coaches, players and officials.
USA Hockey continues to develop new programs for the hockey community to embrace across the country and incorporate into their own communities. For example, the U.S. Women's Development Sled Hockey Team, competing in their inaugural season last year, travelled to the 2018 Women's Para Ice Hockey World Cup and returned victorious. The advanced women's sled hockey program has strong ties to the Flyers support of local and competitive sled hockey teams, providing greater opportunities for female hockey players of all levels and abilities.
Flyers Rookie Program
With the hopes of developing new female athletes, the Flyers organization has encouraged and watched the growth of first-time skaters and hockey players through the Flyers Rookie Program. Active across 14 local rinks, the program has welcomed over 160 girls to date in this season's sessions. These participants range from ages five to nine and take the ice to develop basic hockey skills to building confidence and greater interest in the next generation of hockey.
