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Starter Goalie Equipment a Key Addition to Gear Up Grants

By Minnesota Hockey, 01/11/16, 12:30PM CST

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The Gear Up Minnesota! equipment grant program is entering its sixth season of providing starter equipment to associations in a statewide effort to attract new players and make hockey more accessible. Over the past five years, the program has supplied more than 2,200 sets of equipment to 111 different communities.

Two years ago, Gear Up Minnesota! began offering starter goalie equipment as one of the options within its grant applications and has already distributed over 20 sets.  The goalie gear, which is also sized for players age 4-8, includes goalie leg pads, glove and blocker.

“The goalie gear we received has allowed our coaches the opportunity to expose mite players to the most vital position in hockey—goalie!” said goalie dad Aaron Biard, whose kids play for MAML Moose Youth Hockey in Monticello.  “The players and parents are allowed to experience this with no cost by having community gear.”

Biard pointed to eight year-old Charlie Kasper of MAML Moose as one of the program’s success stories. Kasper had been asking his parents and coaches to try goalie for some time, but they didn’t have a set of community equipment for him to use. When MAML Moose was chosen as a recipient for one of the Gear Up Minnesota! goalie grants, Kasper was first in line to put them on and take his place between the pipes.

“As we continue our efforts to get more kids playing our game, we want to make sure kids are getting the opportunities to try all of the positions on the rink,” said Glen Andresen, Minnesota Hockey’s Executive Director. “Thanks to Total Hockey, we’re now able to give kids ages 4-9 the chance to strap on the pads and give goaltending a shot.”

Applications for this season’s Gear Up Minnesota! grants are now available. Apply now and let us enhance your growth initiatives with starters sets of player and goalie equipment. If you are interested in goalie gear, make sure to include that in the application where it asks about your plans to utilize the equipment.

The application deadline is February 29th, 2016.  All applications will be reviewed in the spring of 2016 by a granting committee consisting of representatives from Minnesota Hockey, USA Hockey and the contributing sponsors. Grants will be delivered prior to the start of the 2016-17 season.

A special thank you to the Minnesota Wild Foundation, Total Hockey, Domino's, Subway and our other partners for making Gear Up Minnesota! a success.

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The Gear Up Minnesota! equipment grant program is entering its sixth season of providing starter equipment to associations in a statewide effort to attract new players and make hockey more accessible. Over the past five years, the program has supplied more than 2,200 sets of equipment to 111 different communities.

Two years ago, Gear Up Minnesota! began offering starter goalie equipment as one of the options within its grant applications and has already distributed over 20 sets.  The goalie gear, which is also sized for players age 4-8, includes goalie leg pads, glove and blocker.

“The goalie gear we received has allowed our coaches the opportunity to expose mite players to the most vital position in hockey—goalie!” said goalie dad Aaron Biard, whose kids play for MAML Moose Youth Hockey in Monticello.  “The players and parents are allowed to experience this with no cost by having community gear.”

Biard pointed to eight year-old Charlie Kasper of MAML Moose as one of the program’s success stories. Kasper had been asking his parents and coaches to try goalie for some time, but they didn’t have a set of community equipment for him to use. When MAML Moose was chosen as a recipient for one of the Gear Up Minnesota! goalie grants, Kasper was first in line to put them on and take his place between the pipes.

“As we continue our efforts to get more kids playing our game, we want to make sure kids are getting the opportunities to try all of the positions on the rink,” said Glen Andresen, Minnesota Hockey’s Executive Director. “Thanks to Total Hockey, we’re now able to give kids ages 4-9 the chance to strap on the pads and give goaltending a shot.”

Applications for this season’s Gear Up Minnesota! grants are now available. Apply now and let us enhance your growth initiatives with starters sets of player and goalie equipment. If you are interested in goalie gear, make sure to include that in the application where it asks about your plans to utilize the equipment.

The application deadline is February 29th, 2016.  All applications will be reviewed in the spring of 2016 by a granting committee consisting of representatives from Minnesota Hockey, USA Hockey and the contributing sponsors. Grants will be delivered prior to the start of the 2016-17 season.

A special thank you to the Minnesota Wild Foundation, Total Hockey, Domino's, Subway and our other partners for making Gear Up Minnesota! a success.

The Registration "" is not currently available.

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