Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is giving his famous number's worth in new sets of equipment to programs for young players in his home province who don't have easy access to the game, including black youth, female Indigenous players and new Canadians.Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press
One of hockey’s greats is giving his jersey number’s worth in new sets of equipment to programs for young players in his home province who don’t have easy access to the game.
Sidney Crosby recently teamed up with sponsor and equipment-maker CCM to announce a donation of 87 sets of hockey gear to participants in three programs administered by Hockey Nova Scotia.
The programs promote inclusion in hockey for black youth, female Indigenous players and for new Canadians.
Amy Walsh, executive director of Hockey Nova Scotia, said the donation was the result of a continuing conversation with Crosby’s agent, his parents and his charitable foundation.
In it’s third year, the new Canadian program currently has 50 kids receiving instructions in the basics of hockey. Many are from Syrian refugee families, and the program uses volunteer translators provided through the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia.
The kids get one hour of instruction each week and officials hope to expand that to two sessions next season.