Minnesota Hockey is excited to join USA Hockey in recognizing 48 youth hockey associations in Minnesota who completed the 2 & 2 Challenge during the 2016-17 season, including 24 programs that achieved gold status. The 2 & 2 Challenge is a national program that encourages associations to host a series of retention, acquisition and transition programs over the course of the season with the goal of growing youth hockey.
The continued dedication of Minnesota's youth hockey associations to growing the game at youngest levels has led to a four consecutive year of growth and new state and national records at the 8 & Under (8U) level. The holistic approach taken by 2 & 2 Challenge participants helped Minnesota break 18,000 players at the 8U level for the first time ever, while also setting a new record for the number of retained players for the second straight year.
The 2 and 2 Challenge was launched in 2010 by USA Hockey with the goal of assisting associations in retaining two additional players and acquiring two more players each season. Over the course of the season, associations are required to host a series of events and programs that facilitate the three primary areas of growth: retention, acquisition and conversion.
The first event is Welcome Back Week which includes a series of phone calls and emails that aid associations' player retention efforts. Then, Try Hockey for Free Days are held in early November and late February to assist in acquiring new players. Finally, the associations provide low cost, low commitment programs following the Try Hockey for Free Days to ease the transition for those new players into becoming full-fledged association members.
For complete details on the program, including 2017-18 dates for each of the components, visit 2and2challenge.com. Then, accept the 2 and 2 Challenge for the upcoming season and see how your association can reap the rewards on and off the ice!
Association Name | 2+2 Achievement |
---|---|
Andover | Gold |
Apple Valley | Gold |
Armstrong Cooper | Gold |
Becker-Big Lake | Gold |
Brainerd | Gold |
Chaska Chanhassen | Gold |
City of Lakes | Gold |
Delano | Gold |
Ely | Gold |
Faribault | Gold |
Fergus Falls | Gold |
Hibbing Chisholm | Gold |
Johnson Como-NSP | Gold |
Little Falls | Gold |
Mounds View | Gold |
Northfield | Gold |
Osseo-Maple Grove | Gold |
Princeton | Gold |
River Lakes | Gold |
Roseville | Gold |
Sartell | Gold |
Sibley | Gold |
Two Harbors | Gold |
Waseca | Gold |
Cambridge-Isanti | Silver |
Mora | Silver |
St. Michael-Albertville | Silver |
Albert Lea | Bronze |
Bemidji | Bronze |
Burnsville | Bronze |
Eastview | Bronze |
Eden Prairie | Bronze |
Edgcumbe | Bronze |
Farmington | Bronze |
Hallock | Bronze |
Hopkins | Bronze |
Inver Grove Heights | Bronze |
Bloomington Kennedy | Bronze |
La Crescent | Bronze |
Mound Westonka | Bronze |
Northern Lakes | Bronze |
Orono | Bronze |
Park Rapids | Bronze |
Red Lake Falls | Bronze |
Rogers | Bronze |
South St. Paul | Bronze |
St. Francis | Bronze |
St. Peter | Bronze |