Jimmy Dawson loves the game of hockey and wants to see more people get a chance to play it.
Dawson wanted to establish a legacy for years to come, so he helped to create the USA Hockey Foundation’s Hockey Hispana Fund.
The fund was started by Dawson in 2021 to make the sport of hockey more inclusive for Latina hockey players. The USA Hockey Foundation helps facilitate the Hockey Hispana Fund, which provides grant awards to 8U and 10U girls hockey players who are registered with USA Hockey associations in Colorado.
“Hockey is the greatest sport on earth, but it can be pretty expensive, so I wanted to set aside a trust,” Dawson said. “It’s worth investing in and is a great cause.”
Dawson has also organized a planned gift of $500,000 so it will continue for many years to come.
“Jimmy’s love and passion for helping others and making hockey more inclusive in the Hispanic community is a huge display of his altruism,” said USA Hockey Foundation’s chief development officer Tamara Tranter. “We are so grateful he has entrusted us with bettering the sport now and in the future through his philanthropy.”
Dawson grew up near Chicago and played hockey as a child. He spent time in Texas before later moving his family and business to Pueblo, Colorado, in 2005. He rediscovered his love for hockey at a small rink in downtown Pueblo some 40 years after playing as a kid.
“It had been many years since I skated, but that same exhilarating feeling came back,” Dawson said.
Dawson still plays pick-up games at the small rink, which has since undergone renovations, including new boards, glass and locker rooms, among other upgrades. He also served as an assistant coach on his daughter’s 19U Colorado Springs team during the 2016-17 season.
“There’s a special spot in my heart for girls hockey,” Dawson said. “I love the camaraderie of the girls in the room. When the coaches would step outside, you could hear them having fun inside.”
