The Willie O'Ree Academy is designed to provide unique training, social and mentorship opportunities for Black youth hockey players in the Pittsburgh region. The program is named in honor of Willie O'Ree, who became the NHL's first Black player in 1958 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2018.
The Willie O'Ree Academy is open to Black youth hockey players ages 10-17 who are already skating in the Pittsburgh Amateur Hockey League (PAHL) or Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League (PIHL). Registration does not guarantee participation; registrants will be contacted by June 4 with acceptance.
The nine-week program, provided at no cost to the participating players, will begin on June 15 and includes one weekly on and off-ice training session at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Instruction will be provided by the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex skills development professionals and training staff, as well as former NHL players.
Monthly educational programs will be held once the training concludes in mid-August and will include cultural and identity discussions, career exposure and social events.
For more information on the Willie O'Ree Academy, visit here.
