Capitals Youth Hockey Comes To Rockville, Teaches Kids To Play

ROCKVILLE, MD — The Washington Capitals announced Monday that they will sponsor a kids hockey program in Rockville. The team hopes these affordable lessons will boost youth interest in the game.

The effort, called Learn to Play, is sponsored by Future Caps and World Wide Technology. First-time participants ages 5 to 9 are eligible.

Coaches will lead age-appropriate instruction on the ice. The Capitals Youth Hockey Development Department created these practices with Washington alumni. The clinics emphasize cross-ice skating and skill development, following USA Hockey's American Development model.

Athletes will also get free equipment, including:

• A helmet
• Shoulder, elbow and shin pads
• Gloves
• Pants
• Socks
• Skates
• A jersey
• A stick
• An equipment bag

"Enabling children of all backgrounds to experience hockey without the cost burden opens up the sport to so many more, ideally increasing participation across the area," stated WWT's Bryan Thomas, senior vice president of the public sector. "WWT is focused on giving back to the communities in which we live and work, and the Future Caps Learn to Play program will do just that."

Learn to Play will take place at 17 ice rinks across the DMV. Along with Rockville, the initiative will also visit these Maryland rinks:

• Annapolis
• Bowie
• Columbia
• Easton
• Hagerstown
• Reisterstown
• Waldorf

A full list of participating locations is posted at this link. Interested families can click here to register.

Editor's Note: This story was originally published on the Annapolis Patch by Jacob Baumgart. It was adapted for the Rockville Patch.