Not quite a year ago when we launched INHockey.net, our intentions were simple:  grow and promote the game of hockey in Indiana.  We knew what we wanted to do, but not exactly how.  And while we are thrilled with the successes we've had in the early going, we still have a long way to go in our quest to unite and strengthen the Indiana hockey nation.

It hasn't been easy, but it's been exciting and fun. We have absolutely loved making connections and reaching new fans.  It's been a blast watching our little hockey family grow!

Yet nothing we've done up to this point has had the potential to impact the sport we love more than this.  What better way is there to grow the game than to put sticks in kids' hands, teach them to play, and help get them out on the ice?

INHockey.net is beyond proud to announce the formation of our new non-profit organization:

The Indiana Backcheck Foundation

(www.backcheckfoundation.org)

Through this charitable endeavor, we now have an even greater opportunity to directly impact the game we love in the state we call home.

The inspiration for the name came from Bruce Driver's book, The Baffled Parent's Guide to Coaching Youth Hockey.  Not exactly a title that screams inspiration, but in it Driver states that "Hockey has no greater test of heart and intensity than your willingness to backcheck, particularly at the end of a sustained attach when the other team suddenly has the puck and you are exhausted."

To us, it made perfect sense.  The commitment to backcheck is ultimate sacrifice:  To go all out in defense of your net, your goalie, and your team.

The purpose of the Indiana Backcheck Foundation is nearly identical to that of our website:  Grow and promote the game of hockey in Indiana, and offer support to those who love the game as we do.Our objectives are three-fold:  introduce more kids to the game of hockey, provide opportunities for kids to play, and make those opportunities meaningful.

The following is just a sample of our planned initiatives to impact the game.

Bring The Mountain to Mohammed

One of the biggest obstacles to growing the sport of hockey is access.  While there are a couple of new rinks going up in the state, not everyone has the opportunity to get there.  So we decided to take the game to the kids.

The Floorball 4 Schools program is a no-cost initiative designed to introduce the key elements of hockey within the Physical Education setting.  Ideally suited for schools, the game of Floorball is a simple, safe, and exciting alternative to traditional hockey.

Through this program, schools can 'borrow' sets of Floorball equipment as well as a complete two-week curriculum to introduce the game to their students.  If they decide they want to make Floorball a regular offering, we can help them obtain their own equipment sets.

A Hand Up; Not a Handout

Ice Hockey is an expensive sport.  No one would deny that.  Ice costs continue to creep ever upward, and it often feels as if your kid outgrew their skates before you even left the store!  Many folks have had to get creative in order to keep their kids on the ice, but what can you do when your heart says 'yes' but your wallet screams 'NO'?

Backcheck Foundation Scholarships and Equipment Drives are designed to help bridge the gap and keep kids on the ice.  Through the generosity of corporate sponsors, small businesses, and a countless number of big-hearted hockey fans, we aim to help as many deserving Hoosier families as we can.

More Than Just A Game

It doesn't matter how many kids get on the ice if they don't have quality coaches once they get there.  And it takes more than just an understanding of the game to be a good coach.

Being a sport parent isn't easy either.  Seventy percent of kids quit sports by age 13 because it's no longer fun.  And unfortunately, much of that has to do with the parents.  It's not that they don't mean well.  Their hearts are usually in the right place, but the just don't really know how to be a 'good' sport parent.

Our Educational Assistance Fund is intended to help coaches, parents, and organizations provide the best possible sport experience for every child.  Very few kids who play will eventually have the honor of playing in college or the pros, but every single one of them has the chance to learn valuable life skills that will help make them better parents, better spouses, better friends, better people.

It Takes A Village

Anyone who is a part of this great game understands what is meant by the phrase "Hockey family IS family."  We are hockey moms and dads not just to our own kids, but to everyone on the team... and the other team.  We look out for one another, and we're always there to help when it involves one of our own.  The Indiana Backcheck Foundation is a testament to that culture and is proud to serve our extended Hoosier hockey family.

The Indiana Backcheck Foundation website (a micro-site on INHockey.net) is up and running, however we'sre still adding content, electronic, applications, and general  information.  Feel free to head on over to www.backcheckfoundation.org and check it out but make sure to visit often so you can be up to date on all the great information.  And don't forget to follow us on Facebook!

Our good friends at Planetary Brewing will be helping us celebrate with the official launch party on Sunday, September 24th starting at 2pm.  RSVP today and join us for the start of something very special.