Hockey is a great sport and an expensive sport.  Herein lies the rub.  Every year, teams and associations face the task of funding an activity that helps fill their lives with joy and excitement.  The fees associated with the sport are enormous – ice fees, equipment, capital improvements, utilities, uniforms, officiating fees, entry fees, travel expenses, coaching clinics and development clinics   The list goes on.

In our part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a variety of efforts have been undertaken to raise money.  Typically, the hockey boards must approve all fundraising ventures.  “Travel” teams are permitted to do one or two efforts each season, splitting their profits on a percentage basis with the association.  House teams are not permitted to fundraise at all under the premise that it will tax the community too much if they are also entrepreneurial.  In addition, all members of the association must commit to purchasing a number of $10 - $12 hockey coupon books that each skater tries to sell to help defray the cost of registration fees.  Usually, certain fundraisers are awarded, by tradition, to a specific travel team.  Certain favorites, the “big” money generating ones, go to the same teams year after year.

I think it is time to consider breaking with traditional methods.  In order to meet the tough financial times, let us look at fundraising with a new perspective.  Let us begin by looking at meeting the needs of the whole hockey association, not a few teams.  Let’s involve all stakeholders, everyone connected with the sports, all people who put on their skates or cheer on a family member who does.