Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation

Last updated
Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation
TypeYouth Development & Wellness
Location
Area served
Greater Pittsburgh Area
Website www.pittsburghpenguinsfoundation.org

The Pittsburgh Penguin's Foundation is a non-profit organization formed on July 20, 2010 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its sponsor was the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Pittsburgh Penguins ownership group. The foundation offers preventive wellness, developmental, and charity programs. It also promotes life skill teaching and activity among youth and families. [1]

Contents

Programs

HeadsUP Pittsburgh

The Foundation started HeadsUP Pittsburgh in 2011 in partnership with UPMC Sports Medicine to increase awareness about the severity of concussions. The program educates parents and children on concussion symptoms and how athletes can sustain concussions. HeadsUP Pittsburgh also promotes the need to take appropriate time and fully recover from concussions before returning to sports. [2]

HeadsUP Pittsburgh is funded by the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation and implemented by UPMC Sports Medicine. The program initially offered free baseline concussion testing for youth hockey players in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League (PIHL), the Pittsburgh Amateur Hockey League (PAHL), and other local youth ice hockey groups registered through USA Hockey. In 2011, 2,300 youth hockey players were tested. The program expanded its second year to offer free baseline testing for athletes in 12 additional sports.

As of May 2022, more than 26,000 young athletes have received free baseline concussion testing and educational seminars for their parents. [3]

The test, which all NHL players undergo, evaluates the athlete's neurocognitive state which includes brain processing speed, memory, and visual motor skills. If the player suffers a concussion, these test results are then used in order to compare their previous neurocognitive state to that of their possible concussed state. Baseline testing is used because concussions do not show up on CT or MRI scans as they are not structural brain injuries. Testing is necessary because symptoms vary from person to person. These symptoms include nausea, dizziness, concentration problems and/or fuzzy vision. [4] The testing is done by the UPMC Sports Concussion group on the computer program Impact. [5]

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) also play key roles in this unique program.

Pens FIT

Implemented at the start of the 2012–13 school year, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation developed Pens FIT, a program designed to introduce children to the sport of hockey and facilitate an increase in physical activity. In 2012, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation provided 260 elementary schools (public and private) in Allegheny County with free ball hockey equipment and lesson plans as part of their commitment to physical fitness.

In addition to providing the equipment, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, and California University of Pennsylvania devised a street hockey curriculum that is not only suitable for physical education classrooms, but also can be used in community recreation center programs.

The Pens FIT program provides teacher training, instruction and supplemental materials, and the opportunity for continuing education sessions featuring Pittsburgh Penguins coaching staff and alumni.

Pens FIT is funded entirely from proceeds from sales of the 2011 Civic Arena Roof ornament. It is a three-year initiative and within the next two years[ when? ], the Pens FIT program will move to counties outside Allegheny County.

Project Power Play

In an effort to combat the sedentary tendencies of America's youth, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation created Project Power Play to promote fun, organized physical activity. Project Power Play is designed to take advantage of the growing popularity of hockey in the western Pennsylvania tri-state area by affording young players access to newly constructed, outdoor, multi-use athletic facilities. These structures provide safe areas to play games under the supervision of established organizations.

In partnership with Highmark, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation has constructed two new Dek hockey rinks in the City of Pittsburgh; the first at Banks Ville Park and the second at Lewis Park in Hazelwood. The total project is estimated at $2.1 million and involves building 10 additional facilities over the next three years in Allegheny County and the surrounding communities.

The selection of each Dek hockey facility is carefully planned and takes into consideration need, utilization, supervision, and location. The prime consideration for rink placements is whether a potential site is located within local city/county parks or adjacent to managed youth development facilities.

The rink for each of the 12 facilities will feature a steel dasher board system, sports court and is enclosed by a cyclone fence. A Project Power Play start-up kit is provided and includes basic skills and game instructions, along with manuals. Planning and developing skill sessions, instructions and scrimmage games will be coordinated by Pittsburgh Penguins staff. The Penguins organization will also provide ongoing support for the facilities.

Learn To Play

Through the combined efforts of Sidney Crosby, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Penguins Foundation, Reebok, and Dick's Sporting Goods, Sidney Crosby's Little Penguins Learn to Play Hockey program has introduced more than 4,200 Pittsburgh-area children to the game of hockey.

The Learn to Play program was started in the 2008–09 hockey season with the goal to provide boys and girls, ages 4–8, with hockey equipment and instruction to foster a love of the sport and give children an opportunity to play.

In the 2012–13 season, 1,000 children received free head-to-toe Reebok SC87 equipment, distributed by Dick's Sporting Goods, and the opportunity to learn at one of the 26 participating facilities, including four designed specifically for girls.

Hockey Is For Everyone

Fundraising efforts in 2011 enabled the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation to dramatically increase their grant assistance and support for Hockey is for Everyone initiatives. The Mighty Penguins, Steel City Icebergs, and Pittsburgh I.C.E. each received grants through 2011 Civic Arena Roof ornament sales.

Mighty Penguins

Sled Hockey provides a means for physically challenged individuals to play competitive ice hockey.

Steel City Icebergs

An adaptive ice hockey program for both children and adults with developmental disabilities such as Autism, Down Syndrome, and traumatic brain injury.

Pittsburgh I.C.E. (Inclusion Creates Equality)

Pittsburgh I.C.E. provides the opportunity to play ice hockey for children who might never have the opportunity otherwise.

Explorers Series

In August 2012, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation invited children and parents to explore the world through their Explorers Series. The CONSOL Energy Center was transformed into a classroom as 500 families learned through education films, demonstrations and hands-on activities.

Children were encouraged to explore, experience, and learn about Robotics in an exciting venue. Future topics for the Explorers Series topics include Space Exploration, and the Environment.

Signature Events

Skates & Plates Charity Gala presented by Trib Total Media

Since 1986, the Penguins have hosted an annual charity gala for the benefit of local children's charities that focus on medical research. The events have raised over $5.75 million.

In 2009, the Pittsburgh Penguins re-organized the team's gala and hosted its signature event, the Skates & Plates Charity Gala presented by Trib Total Media, to benefit the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, Mario Lemieux Foundation, and Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Penguins players don tuxedos and pass plates instead of pucks as they greet guests and serve as waiters for the evening. Top tip honors and bragging rights are captured by a different Penguins' player each season.

Along with dinner, the event features a unique silent auction. Prizes are also awarded to guests for the top tips (guests’ tips are actually a donation to the event's selected charities) collected by the players.

Wine Tasting Gala presented by Highmark

The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation annually hosts a Wine Tasting Gala and VIP Dinner at CONSOL Energy Center. The event benefits the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation and helps the foundation continue its numerous efforts in the western Pennsylvania community.

Charity Auction on AT&T Sports Net

The Penguins Foundation and Mario Lemieux Foundation teamed up for their second Charity Auction on ROOT Sports in March 2013. Fans attending the team's March 26 home game had an opportunity to purchase mystery bags full of Penguins memorabilia; each bag also included an autographed item from one of the players or Penguins alumni.

For fans not in attendance, ROOT Sports dedicated their broadcast to the auction by promoting the sale of the bags online, along with a variety of exciting auction items that could be bid on through the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation website. All proceeds benefitted the Mario Lemieux Foundation for cancer research and neonatal research, as well as Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation youth charities.

Hockey Fights Cancer

Hockey Fights Cancer (HFC) is an initiative founded in December 1998 by the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players' Association to raise money and awareness for hockey's most important fight. To date, through the NHL's US and Canadian charitable foundations, more than $12.8 million has been raised under the HFC initiative to support national and local cancer research institutions, children's hospitals, player charities and local cancer organizations. The HFC program is also a component of the NHL's "Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice" campaign – the League's long-standing tradition of addressing important social issues in North America and around the world.

The Hockey Fights Cancer program is supported by each NHL Member Club, players, NHL Alumni, the NHL Officials' Association, Professional Hockey Trainers and Equipment Managers, corporate marketing partners, broadcast partners, and fans throughout North America.

Open Practice

Since 2010, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation have hosted an Open Hockey Practice for students at CONSOL Energy Center. The event offers a rare opportunity for more than 10,000 children from across Allegheny County and in grades one through eight to see the Penguins at work.

Students are entertained leading up to the start of practice with informational videos about behind-the-scenes aspects of the team and facility. Students are given the opportunity to ask questions of the players and coaches during and after practice. The Open Practice incorporates educational themes (math, geography, etc.) and each student is given an activity book focused on education, health and nutrition to take home.

Summer Sticks presented by UPMC

Every autumn, the Pittsburgh Penguins host a golf tournament and spend a day on the links for charity. The scramble-style tournament features teams of three, each accompanied by a Penguins celebrity captain, competing for tournament prizes. Proceeds from this event benefit the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation.

Fundraising

Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation 50/50 RAFFLE

After the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania passed a measure legalizing 50/50 drawings in 2013, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation began hosting a 50/50 RAFFLE to help local charities raise funds.

The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation hosts a 50/50 RAFFLE at all Pittsburgh Penguins home games, and one participating fan wins 50% of the collected amount at each game. For the balance, a majority of the remaining amount is directed to that game's selected charity with the remainder distributed by the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation to a local 501c3 charity. A different charity is selected to participate in each game.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pittsburgh Penguins</span> National Hockey League team in Pennsylvania

The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have played their home games at PPG Paints Arena, originally known as Consol Energy Center, since 2010. The team previously played at the Civic Arena, also known as "the Igloo". The Penguins are currently affiliated with two minor league teams – the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cranberry Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania</span> Township in Pennsylvania, United States

Cranberry Township is a municipality in Butler County, Pennsylvania. The population was 33,096 as of the 2020 census. Cranberry Township is one of the fastest-growing areas of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mario Lemieux</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1965)

Mario Lemieux is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played parts of 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 1984 and 2005, and he assumed ownership of the franchise in 1999. Nicknamed "The Magnificent One", "Le Magnifique" and "Super Mario" he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Lemieux’s combination of size, strength, athleticism, and creativity made him one of the greatest players of all time. A gifted playmaker and fast skater despite his large size, Lemieux often beat defencemen with fakes and dekes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Francis</span> Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1963)

Ronald Michael Francis Jr. is a Canadian ice hockey sports executive and former player. He currently serves as the general manager of the Seattle Kraken. He spent most of his career as either a player or executive for the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes organization, 23 years in total.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Civic Arena (Pittsburgh)</span> Arena in Pittsburgh

The Civic Arena, formerly the Civic Auditorium and later Mellon Arena, was an arena located in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Civic Arena primarily served as the home to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the city's National Hockey League (NHL) franchise, from 1967 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sidney Crosby</span> Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1987)

Sidney Patrick Crosby is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Sid the Kid" and dubbed "The Next One", he was selected first overall by the Penguins in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Born and raised in Halifax, Crosby was considered one of the most lauded prospects in ice hockey history and is widely regarded as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Pittsburgh Medical Center</span> Global medical organization

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) is an American integrated global nonprofit health enterprise that has 92,000 employees, 40 hospitals with more than 8,000 licensed beds, 800 clinical locations including outpatient sites and doctors' offices, a 3.8 million-member health insurance division, as well as commercial and international ventures. It is closely affiliated with its academic partner, the University of Pittsburgh. It is considered a leading American health care provider, as its flagship facilities have ranked in U.S. News & World Report "Honor Roll" of the approximately 15 to 20 best hospitals in America for over 15 years. As of 2016, its flagship hospital UPMC Presbyterian is ranked 12th nationally among the best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report and ranked in 15 of 16 specialty areas when including UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital. This does not include UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh which ranked in the top 10 of pediatric centers in a separate US News ranking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in Pittsburgh</span>

Sports in Pittsburgh have been played dating back to the American Civil War. Baseball, hockey, and the first professional American football game had been played in the city by 1892. Pittsburgh was first known as the "City of Champions" when the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Panthers football team, and Pittsburgh Steelers won multiple championships in the 1970s. Today, the city has three major professional sports franchises, the Pirates, Steelers, and Penguins; while the University of Pittsburgh Panthers compete in a Division I Power Five conference, the highest level of collegiate athletics in the United States, in both football and basketball. Local universities Duquesne and Robert Morris also field Division I teams in men's and women's basketball and Division I FCS teams in football. Robert Morris also fields Division I men's and women's ice hockey teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Herr</span> American ice hockey player

Matthew Gregory Herr is an American former professional ice hockey forward who played for part of four National Hockey League (NHL) seasons.

The Pittsburgh Penguins 2006–07 season was rife with potential, as the team featured one of the largest groups of young stars in the National Hockey League (NHL). Evgeni Malkin, the second overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, came to the United States from Russia prior to the season and joined the team. He promptly became the first NHL rookie since 1917 to score goals in each of his first six games. Malkin and second-year phenom Sidney Crosby were joined by 18-year-old Jordan Staal, who made the jump directly from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) to the Penguins roster after being drafted second overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. The Penguins also brought back Mark Recchi via free agency, giving Recchi his third stint with the team. It would also be the first season the team would have involving defenceman and soon-to-be alternate captain Kris Letang.

Richard Brian Pilon is a Canadian former ice hockey player of Métis heritage. He was drafted 143rd overall in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders. Playing as a defenceman, Pilon played for the Islanders, New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues during his 15-year NHL career. He is the former coach of the Weyburn Red Wings of The SJHL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PPG Paints Arena</span> Multi-purpose indoor arena in Pittsburgh

PPG Paints Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Pittsburgh that serves as the home of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). It previously was the home of the Pittsburgh Power of the Arena Football League (AFL) from 2011 to 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alain Lemieux</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Alain Lemieux is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the St. Louis Blues, Quebec Nordiques, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He is also the older brother of NHL great Mario Lemieux.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UPMC Rooney Sports Complex</span> Multi-sport training facility

The UPMC Rooney Sports Complex is a multipurpose, multisport training, sports science, and sports medical complex of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The complex is located along the shore of the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is unique in that it is the only facility in the United States housing the practice and training facilities for both a collegiate National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football team and a professional National Football League (NFL) team, the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers respectively. It is also unique in that it combines these training facilities in one location with an academically based sports science and medicine program. The complex consists of four centers which include the Center for Sports Medicine, Sports Training Center, Indoor Training Center, and the Fitness and Conditioning Center located in three buildings along with four outdoor practice fields all situated on 40 acres (16 ha) of land. The UPMC Center for Sports Medicine located in the complex is an international destination for amateur and professional athletes alike for its training, medical, and rehabilitation studies and services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Morehouse</span>

David Morehouse is an American businessman who was president and chief executive officer of Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. During his tenure, the Penguins have won three Stanley Cups, reached four Stanley Cup finals and sold out every game for 14 seasons. He previously served in politics as a member of the Clinton administration, and on the presidential campaigns of Al Gore (2000) and John Kerry (2004).

Printscape Arena at Southpointe is a multi-purpose dual arena facility located at exit 48 of Interstate 79 in the Pittsburgh business park of Southpointe in Cecil Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. It served as the practice facility for the Pittsburgh Penguins from opening on May 20, 1995, until 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 NHL Winter Classic</span> Outdoor National Hockey League game

The 2011 NHL Winter Classic was an outdoor ice hockey game played in the National Hockey League (NHL) on January 1, 2011, at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The fourth edition of the Winter Classic, it matched the Washington Capitals against the Pittsburgh Penguins; the Capitals won, 3–1. The game, rescheduled from its original 1:00 p.m. ET start time to 8:00 p.m. due to weather concerns, was telecast on NBC in the United States, and CBC (English) and RDS (French) in Canada. Pittsburgh native Jackie Evancho performed the Star Spangled Banner and Pittsburgh sports legends Mario Lemieux, Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis presided over the ceremonial dropping of the puck, and during the second intermission Harris and Bettis hosted a fan event at the outside rink.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US.

References

  1. ↑ "FAQ". www.pittsburghpenguinsfoundation.com.
  2. ↑ "Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation - Heads Up Pittsburgh - Online Brochure". pittsburghpenguinsfoundation.org. Archived from the original on 2011-12-04.
  3. ↑ "Pens Foundation and UPMC Announce Open Enrollment for Concussion Testing". NHL.com. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  4. ↑ Meyers, Craig (2 June 2011). "Penguins team to educate about dangers of concussions". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  5. ↑ "Heads Up Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation. Archived from the original on 10 April 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.