Girls Try for Hockey Free events happen nationwide, held by different organizations as a way of giving back to the community and increasing girls’ interest in the sport.
Girls aged 4-9, with no experience required, can learn the basics of hockey from experienced athletes and coaches for free, introducing them to a new sport for them to try.
The San Jose Sharks are one of the teams embracing this kind of event, only they have an addition to their upcoming Girls Try Hockey for Free event on Oct. 13. Each participant will receive a ticket to the Sharks game against the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 20, which will be Pixar Night at the SAP Center.
By hosting these events two weekends in a row, the Sharks increased the participation in the free skate and hope to create a bond between the young skaters and Riley, the protagonist of “Inside Out 2.”
“It was just serendipitous that we put [Girls Try Hockey for Free] together with the Pixar Night event,” Heather Vaughan, San Jose’s VP of marketing, said. “We could tie it all together to get engagement based on the strength of the ‘Inside Out 2’ movie and the momentum with the characters and girls’ youth hockey.”
The Girls Try Hockey for Free event will take place during the IIHF’s Girls’ Hockey Weekend, celebrated October 11-13. With two sessions hosting 50 participants each, San Jose is providing young girls the opportunity to work with two elite female hockey players — Megan Bozek-Ferguson and Tracey Roberts.
Bozek-Ferguson is a two-time Olympic medalist and seven-time IIHF Women’s World Championship medalist, in addition to her illustrious collegiate career at Minnesota. Bozek-Ferguson’s accolades speak for themselves, making her an inspiring mentor to young girls looking to learn hockey.
Roberts is a member of the Sharks’ Oakland Ice Center coaching staff. She played collegiately at Colby College before hanging up the skates and pursuing a career in animation. With Pixar’s hub in the Bay Area, Roberts assisted in the animation of the hockey scenes in “Inside Out 2” by showing the animators elements of accurately playing hockey.
With Roberts on staff, a Pixar Night hosted by San Jose truly does seem serendipitous.
The hockey connection between the Sharks and “Inside Out 2” are obvious, but Vaughn pointed out that the emphasis on emotional awareness in the movie is what she hopes will stick with the girls who come to Pixar Night.
“We are all really excited about the idea of utilizing entertainment and a movie focused on mental wellness, to be able to encourage and empower these young women to be brave and go out and try something for the first time,” Vaughn said.
For Pixar Night, the Sharks have invited local youth hockey teams to attend the afternoon game on Oct. 20. The Sharks’ marketing team has gone all out to ensure that the young fans are excited for the event, with a teal carpet and activities for the kids to partake in. On the teal carpet, kids can pose in front of a San Jose Sharks and “Inside Out 2” backdrop, get a pin of Sharkie, the Sharks mascot, and decorate their shoelaces with beads and charms.
The kid-friendly environment doesn’t stop once the game starts. During intermissions and stoppages of play, the Sharks will continue the “Inside Out 2” connection with trivia and graphics based on what is going on in the game — a goal shows ‘Joy’, whereas a penalty shows ‘Anger.’ Additionally, one lucky attendant will win a trip to Disney’s California Adventure Park and stay at the Pixar-themed resort.
With this fortuitous connection, the Sharks utilizing its location in the Bay Area, its staff connections, and community-building ideals to increase female youth interest in hockey. The Sharks own three ice facilities for youth hockey across the Bay Area, exposing young fans and players to the marvels of a hockey rink early.
Participation in sports for young people is crucial for mental and physical health, as it helps children learn valuable morals and lessons they can carry through their lives. There is still major stigma attached to women’s hockey, and San Jose is attempting to combat that by combining these events. Riley in the “Inside Out” franchise is a hockey player growing up in the Bay Area, making her the ideal representation for girls playing hockey at a young age.
“At Disney and Pixar, [they] want Riley to be every hockey team’s fan,” Vaughan said. “Part of the storyline is to show young women that there is a future in this. If hockey is something that you love, it’s not just play now and you’re done, or play through high school or even play through college — there is a future beyond this.”
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.
