The third annual IIHF World Girls’ Hockey Weekend was held this past weekend. Across the globe, there were more than 300 events in 30 countries.  In Minnesota, 19 youth hockey associations participated by hosting events that celebrated the fun and excitement of girls’ hockey and encouraged more girls to try hockey.

There were a variety of events held across the state and world as local groups were encouraged to tailor their events to their community. A great example of this was the Willmar Hockey Association (WHA) which wanted to get involved in the festivities but didn’t have ice in their arena yet. 

Instead of hosting a try hockey event, WHA organized a Season Kick Off event. Current players and community members gathered at a park for an afternoon of fun and games. The kids had the opportunity to play floor hockey and shooting games, and new players were given the chance to register for the upcoming Try Hockey for Free Day on November 2nd.

The Bemidji Youth Hockey Association also did a fantastic job in involving their community as they partnered with the Bemidji State University Women’s Hockey program and their local high school teams, creating an entire day of events that featured watching hockey, playing hockey and a movie night.

In the metro area, several communities including Hopkins, Eagan, Brooklyn Park, Bloomington and Roseville hosted girls only try hockey events.  Many of the events had great turnouts, getting as many as an entire team of potential new players on the ice for the first time.  Some associations even had players commit to registering for the entire season. Apple Valley Hockey Association, which had girls’ hockey events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, gained four new players during one of their off-ice events.

For a complete list of participating associations and photos from the weekend in Minnesota, click here.  To see highlights of the weekend from other parts of the U.S. and around the world, check out the IIHF website.

It was another great weekend for girls’ hockey in Minnesota and across the globe. Thank you to all of the volunteers that helped put on the events during the 2013 World Girls’ Hockey Weekend!